James J. Stapleton

Reflective mulches for management of aphids and aphid-borne virus diseases in late-season cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L. var. cantalupensis)

Abstract A complex of aphids and several mosaic virus diseases can cause major losses in cucurbitaceous crops grown in the inland valleys of California. Three field experiments were conducted to test and compare the effectiveness of reflective polyethylene and biodegradable, synthetic latex spray mulches for management of aphids and aphid-borne virus diseases of late-season cantaloupe ( Cucumis melo L. var. cantalupensis cv. Primo) in the San Joaquin Valley. Beneficial responses were obtained from the reflective mulches, under conditions of high aphid populations and virus inoculum potential, during each of the experiments. Aphid numbers on leaves of plants growing over mulches were consistently lower than on those growing over bare soil. Onset of symptoms of cucumber mosaic cucumovirus, and watermelon mosaic and zucchini yellow mosaic potyviruses, were delayed 3–6 weeks in plants growing over the mulches, which was critical for initiation of normal flowering and fruiting. High virus disease incidence (100% incidence of foliar symptoms) reduced cumulative, marketable melon yields (number of fruit, fresh weight, and size) in the control plots to near zero in two of the three experiments. In each of the experiments, polyethylene or spray mulch treatments which completely covered each planting bed provided at least 9.5- and 2.5-fold increases in marketable yield, respectively. In the first two experiments, reflective mulches would have provided the difference between salable crops and total crop loss. Partial bed coverage with spray mulch, and alternate row applications of polyethylene film mulches, were less effective than complete coverage of every planted row.

Management of Aphid-Borne Viruses and Bemisia argentifolii (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) in Zucchini Squash by Using UV Reflective Plastic and Wheat Straw Mulches

Abstract Plastic UV reflective mulch (metalized mulch) and wheat straw mulch delayed colonization by Bemisia argentifolii Bellows & Perring and the incidence of aphid-borne viruses in zucchini squash. No insecticides were used in either mulch treatment. The mulches were compared with a preplant treatment of imidacloprid and an untreated, unmulched control. In 2000, yield of marketable fruit in the plastic and straw mulched plots was approximately twice that from the imidacloprid plot. In 2001, yield from the straw mulch plots was twice that of the imidacloprid and plastic mulch plots. Yields from both mulched plots and from the imidacloprid plots ranged from 3 to 12 times higher than those from the control plots. The mulches were more effective than a preplant application of imidacloprid in reducing the incidence of both B. argentifolii and aphid-borne viruses. Plants growing over the plastic mulch and the straw mulch grew more rapidly and reached a larger size, as determined by plant dry weight, than did those growing over bare soil, with or without imidacloprid. The spectral quantum flux from the plastic averaged between 80 and 90% of ambient spectral quantum flux values in the UV (300–400-nm) range. Spectral quantum flux values of wheat straw were similar to those of the reflective mulch and ambient near 300 nm but were virtually identical to bare soil beyond 320 nm. The metalized mulch reflected 94% of the incoming photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) in the 400–700-nm range compared with ambient, whereas the straw mulch reflected 85%. Bare soil reflected only 41% of incoming PAR compared with ambient.

Use of UV reflective mulch to delay the colonization and reduce the severity of Bemisia argentifolii (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) infestations in cucurbits

Abstract Effectiveness of UV reflective plastic mulch for the management of silverleaf whitefly ( Bemisia argentifolii Bellows and Perring) was evaluated in selected cucurbits. The reflective mulch repelled silverleaf whitefly adults in pumpkin ( Cucurbita maxima Duchesne), cucumber ( Cucumis sativus L.) and zucchini squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.). Reduced colonization by B. argentifolii adults resulted in reduced populations of nymphs and a delay and reduction in the incidence of silverleaf in pumpkin and zucchini squash. Reflective mulch was as effective in reducing nymphal B. argentifolii populations as was a pre-plant soil application of imidacloprid. Zucchini squash, pumpkin and cucumber yields were significantly higher in plants grown over reflective mulch than in those grown over unmulched soil. Zucchini squash yields from plants grown over reflective mulch also were higher than from plants grown in plots receiving a pre-plant application of imidacloprid. This study confirmed that UV reflective plastic mulch can be used to manage B. argentifolii and the mulches give protection equal to that provided by imidacloprid.

Managing compost stability and amendment to soil to enhance soil heating during soil solarization

Soil solarization is a method of soil heating used to eradicate plant pathogens and weeds that involves passive solar heating of moist soil mulched (covered) with clear plastic tarp. Various types of organic matter may be incorporated into soil prior to solarization to increase biocidal activity of the treatment process. Microbial activity associated with the decomposition of soil organic matter may increase temperatures during solarization, potentially enhancing solarization efficacy. However, the level of organic matter decomposition (stability) necessary for increasing soil temperature is not well characterized, nor is it known if various amendments render the soil phytotoxic to crops following solarization. Laboratory studies and a field trial were performed to determine heat generation in soil amended with compost during solarization. Respiration was measured in amended soil samples prior to and following solarization as a function of soil depth. Additionally, phytotoxicity was estimated through measurement of germination and early growth of lettuce seedlings in greenhouse assays. Amendment of soil with 10%(g/g) compost containing 16.9 mg CO2/gdry weight organic carbon resulted in soil temperatures that were 2-4 °C higher than soil alone. Approximately 85% of total organic carbon within the amended soil was exhausted during 22 days of solarization. There was no significant difference in residual respiration with soil depth down to 17.4 cm. Although freshly amended soil proved highly inhibitory to lettuce seed germination and seedling growth, phytotoxicity was not detected in solarized amended soil after 22 days of field solarization.

Methyl bromide alternatives … Soil solarization provides weed control for limited-resource and organic growers in warmer climates

Organic farmers and limited-resource growers in the San Joaquin Valley and other agricultural areas in California—many of whom are ethnic minorities—encounter limited options and environmental constraints when seeking economically viable pest management methods. Over the past 8 years, we have conducted weed research and implementation projects on soil solarization at the UC Kearney Research and Extension Center and on farms in the surrounding San Joaquin Valley. In the Kearney studies, small-scale solarization in parsley reduced weed biomass 94% to 99% over the untreated control. Furthermore, in an on-farm study, solarization provided effective weed control for strawberries at a much lower cost than methyl bromide, with comparable yields. This research has provided guidelines and technical support for growers wishing to implement solarization and related techniques for nonchemical soil disinfestation in a wide variety of specialty crops.

Assessment of tomato and wine processing solid wastes as soil amendments for biosolarization.

Pomaces from tomato paste and wine production are the most abundant fruit processing residues in California. These residues were examined as soil amendments for solarization to promote conditions conducive to soil disinfestation (biosolarization). Simulated biosolarization studies were performed in both aerobic and anaerobic soil environments and soil temperature elevation, pH, and evolution of CO2, H2 and CH4 gases were measured as metrics of soil microbial activity. Tomato pomace amendment induced conditions associated with soil pest inactivation, including elevation of soil temperature by up to 2°C for a duration of 4days under aerobic conditions and a reduction of soil pH from 6.5 to 4.68 under anaerobic conditions. White wine grape pomace amendment showed similar trends but to a lesser extent. Red wine grape pomace was generally less suitable for biosolarization due to significantly lower soil temperature elevations, reduced acidification relative to the other pomaces and induction of methanogenesis in the soil.

Sudex cover crops can kill and stunt subsequent tomato, lettuce and broccoli transplants through allelopathy

Grass cover crops can be harvested for biomass or used as a surface mulch to reduce erosion, improve soil structure, suppress weeds and conserve moisture. There is concern, however, that such plantings may affect subsequent crops. We studied the effects of sudex, a sorghum hybrid used as a cover crop, on subsequent crops of tomato, broccoli and lettuce started from transplants. Within 3 to 5 days of being transplanted into recently killed sudex, all three crops showed symptoms of phytotoxicity including leaf necrosis, stunting and color changes. There was 50% to 75% transplant mortality in all three species. Plant growth and development, as determined by biomass measurements, were also significantly affected. Yields of mature green tomato fruit and marketable broccoli and lettuce heads were reduced significantly. Tomato, broccoli and lettuce should not be transplanted into sudex residue for at least 6 to 8 weeks, or until the residue has been thoroughly leached.

Weed seed inactivation in soil mesocosms via biosolarization with mature compost and tomato processing waste amendments.

BACKGROUND Biosolarization is a fumigation alternative that combines passive solar heating with amendment-driven soil microbial activity to temporarily create antagonistic soil conditions, such as elevated temperature and acidity, that can inactivate weed seeds and other pest propagules. The aim of this study was to use a mesocosm-based field trial to assess soil heating, pH, volatile fatty acid accumulation and weed seed inactivation during biosolarization. RESULTS Biosolarization for 8 days using 2% mature green waste compost and 2 or 5% tomato processing residues in the soil resulted in accumulation of volatile fatty acids in the soil, particularly acetic acid, and >95% inactivation of Brassica nigra and Solanum nigrum seeds. Inactivation kinetics data showed that near complete weed seed inactivation in soil was achieved within the first 5 days of biosolarization. This was significantly greater than the inactivation achieved in control soils that were solar heated without amendment or were amended but not solar heated. CONCLUSION The composition and concentration of organic matter amendments in soil significantly affected volatile fatty acid accumulation at various soil depths during biosolarization. Combining solar heating with organic matter amendment resulted in accelerated weed seed inactivation compared with either approach alone.

Assessment of Two Solid Anaerobic Digestate Soil Amendments for Effects on Soil Quality and Biosolarization Efficacy

Anaerobic digestion is an organic waste bioconversion process that produces biofuel and digestates. Digestates have potential to be applied as soil amendment to improve properties for crop production including phytonutrient content and pest load. Our objective was to assess the impact of solid anaerobic digestates on weed seed inactivation and soil quality upon soil biosolarization (a pest control technique that combines solar heating and amendment-induced microbial activity). Two solid digestates from thermophilic (TD) and mesophilic (MD) digesters were tested. The solarized TD-amended samples presented significantly higher mortality of Brassica nigra (71%, P = 0.032) than its equivalent incubated at room temperature. However, biosolarization with digestate amendment led to decreased weed seed mortality in certain treatments. The plant-available water, total C, and extractable P and K were significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the incubated amended soils. The results confirm the potential of digestates as beneficial soil amendments. Further studies are needed to elucidate the impacts of digestate stability on biosolarization efficacy and soil properties.

Effect of management of organic wastes on inactivation of Brassica nigra and Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lactucae using soil biosolarization: Managing organic wastes to improve soil biosolarization to control pests

BACKGROUND Soil biosolarization is a promising alternative to conventional fumigation. Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) produced in the soil through fermentation of amended organic matter can affect pest inactivation during biosolarization. The objective was to determine how soil amended with organic wastes that were partially stabilized through either composting or anaerobic digestion affected the inactivation of Brassica nigra (BN; a weed) and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae (FOL; a phytopathogenic fungus). RESULTS The mortality of BN seeds in the biosolarized soil was 12% higher than in the solarized soil, although this difference was not significant. However, a significant correlation between BN mortality and VFA accumulation was observed. The number of FOL colony-forming units (CFU) in solarized samples at 5 cm was 34 CFU g-1 of soil, whereas in the biosolarized samples levels were below the limit of quantification. At 15 cm, these levels were 100 CFU g-1 for solarized samples and < 50 CFU g-1 of soil for the biosolarized samples. Amendment addition positively affected the organic matter and potassium content after the solarization process. CONCLUSION The organic waste stabilization method can impact downstream biosolarization performance and final pest inactivation levels. This study suggests that organic waste management practices can be leveraged to improve pest control and soil quality.