Evaluation of ethanedinitrile (EDN) as a preplant soil fumigant in Florida strawberry production

• Published in: Pest management science Vol. 76; no. 3; pp. 1134 - 1141
• Main Authors: Yu, Jialin, Baggio, Juliana S, Boyd, Nathan S, Freeman, Josh H, Peres, Natalia A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.03.2020; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Charcoal rot; Cyperus rotundus; ethanedinitrile; Field tests; Florida; Fragaria; Fragaria ananassa; Fruits; Fungi; Growing season; Inoculum; Macrophomina phaseolina; methyl bromide; Nematodes; Nitriles; Organic chemistry; Parasitic diseases; Pesticides; purple nutsedge; Soil; Soils; soil‐borne pathogens; Strawberries; Weed control; Weeds; Florida; soil-borne pathogens; charcoal rot; methyl bromide; ethanedinitrile; purple nutsedge
• ISSN: 1526-498X; 1526-4998
• DOI: 10.1002/ps.5626

BACKGROUND Ethanedinitrile (EDN) has shown promising efficacy against weeds, plant‐parasitic nematodes and soil‐borne pathogens. Field experiments were conducted for three strawberry (Fragaria× ananassa D.) seasons in Balm and Dover, FL, USA to evaluate the control efficacy of EDN applied through drip tape on various weed species and the fungus Macrophomina phaseolina, the causal agent of charcoal rot of strawberry. RESULTS Results revealed that 224, 336, 448 or 560 kg ha−1 EDN, and 104 kg ha−1 1,3‐dichloropropene (1,3‐D) + 176 kg ha−1 chloropicrin (Pic) applied through drip tapes under totally impermeable film were safe for strawberry production, with no adverse effect on strawberry growth and yield. EDN rates at 224, 336, 448 and 560 kg ha−1 were highly efficacious and equally effective in reducing purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus L.) in two of three growing seasons. Compared with the efficacy on purple nutsedge, the evaluated EDN rates were generally less effective on various broadleaf and grass weeds emerging on the bare ground and planting holes, but at 560 kg ha−1 consistently exhibited similar levels of control as 1,3‐D + Pic. For M. phaseolina, the evaluated EDN rates were more efficacious than 1,3‐D + Pic and significantly reduced inoculum buried in different bed locations in plastic‐mulched beds. CONCLUSION EDN has potential to be an efficacious tool for soil disinfestation and weed control in plasticulture strawberry production. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry Weeds and soil‐borne pathogens are constant issues in plastic‐mulched strawberry production. EDN has potential to be an efficacious tool for weed control and soil disinfestation in plasticulture strawberry production.