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New biological product to replace methyl bromide |
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Specialists at the Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
Centre (CIGB) in Camagüey, Cuba, have developed a biological
nematicide that, without any secondary effects, interrupts the
reproductive cycle of crop-damaging worms. The active agent in
HeberNem is Tsukamurella paurometabola, strain C-924. This
bacteria has demonstrated the best efficiency among the 158
strains analysed.
This is the first time that the antiparasitical and
nematicidal functions of the micro-organism have been
established, for which the product has already received two
national patents and has also been approved by international
patent agencies in several European, American and Asian
countries. In places with harsh winters, it is customary to
disinfect the soil with methyl bromide (MB). However, owing to
the damage this chemical causes to the ozone layer and because
other chemicals applied as substitutes have equally
undesirable effects, the world has been painstakingly
searching for organic solutions. HeberNem has the potential to
take the place of MB.
Tsukamurella paurometabola, a naturally occurring
micro-organism, is found in soil and organic matter. This
strain can be isolated and conserved in cell banks, which can
then be reproduced on a large scale. Despite the fact that all
of this occurs in an invisible world, HeberNem has
demonstrated an “enormous” capacity to reduce the presence of
nematodes, thus increasing agricultural yields. It has been
tested on more than 25 ha of distinct soil types and, after 18
toxicological and ecological tests, the nematicide has
demonstrated to be an innocuous product without any type of
negative environmental effects.
HeberNem has exhibited an efficiency rate of 90-95 per cent.
In several citrus companies throughout the country (La Jíquima
in Holguín; Ceballos in Ciego de Avila; Arimao in Cienfuegos;
Jagüey Grande in Matanzas, and Cítricos Sola and Los Ranchos
in Camagüey, among others) HeberNem has been used with
successful results.
Website:
www.granma.cu |
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Controlling weeds |
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In the United States, a team of researchers from Alabama
Agricultural Experiment Station and the Auburn University
investigated into the efficacy of various combinations of
furfural (2-furfuraldehyde) with metam sodium and dazomet in
weed control. Furfural is a naturally occurring compound
produced commercially from sugar cane bagasse and other
pentosan containing materials. This compound has significant
nematicidal properties, with limited activity against some
weed species. Mixtures of furfural with methyl isothiocyanate
and methyl isothiocyanate-generating compounds (metam sodium
and dazomet) were studied as broad-spectrum treatments to
replace methyl bromide in soil fumigation.
In trials, metam sodium and furfural were applied to soil at
rates of 0-500 mg ai/kg soil alone and in combination with
metam sodium at 19.6 mg ai/kg soil. The soil (from a cotton
field) used in these trials was infested with yellow nutsedge,
large crabgrass, hybrid pigweed, annual morningglory and other
annual weeds. In another set of experiments, furfural and
dazomet were delivered in an aqueous emulsion containing 8 per
cent furfural and 2 per cent dazomet. Results from the studies
reveal that combinations of furfural with either metam sodium
or dazomet exhibit strong herbicidal activities derived from
synergistic interactions between furfural and the other
compounds.
Contact: Mr. R. Rodriguez Kabana, The Auburn University, the
United States.
E-mail:
rrodrigu@accesag.auburn.edu
Website:
www.mbao.org |
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Efficacy of MB alternatives on tomato crops |
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In the United States, researchers at North Carolina State
University, have studied the efficacy of fall and spring
applied methyl bromide (MB) alternatives on Amelia variety of
tomato. Results have shown that application of InLine in the
spring yielded superior yields compared to MB applied in the
fall and similar to MB in spring. Similarly, Telone-C25
generated yields comparable with the respective MB treatments.
Phytotoxicity was not recorded consistently for any treatment.
A 14-day plant-back waiting period was adequate to avoid
Telone-generated phytotoxicity. Contact: Mr. R. M. Welker,
Department of Plant Pathology, North Carolina State
University, Raleigh, NC 27695, United States of America.
Website:
www.mbao.org |
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Mulch effect on nutsedge control |
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Researchers at the University of Florida, the United States,
have studied the efficacy of mulches in an integrated pest
management programme to lower the use of hazardous fumigants
like methyl bromide. In two field studies, metallized, HDPE
mulches and virtually impermeable film (VIF) were used with
methyl bromide (MB) and chloropicrin. In these trials, VIF and
metallized mulch had higher MB concentrations in the soil than
HDPE. However, differences between VIF and metallized mulch
were not consistent throughout the two trials. Increasing
fumigant rates raised nutsedge control for each mulch.
Nutsedges were controlled the best with metallized mulch.
Website:
www.mbao.org |
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Weed control using sodium azide and herbicides |
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In the United States, researchers at the Auburn University and
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station have tested the
efficacy of using sodium azide in combination with
commercially available herbicides to control weeds. Sodium
azide, in its SEP 100® (American Pacific Corp.) formulation,
controls plant pathogenic nematodes and fungi when applied to
soil at rates less than 44.8 kg ai/ha. Combinations of sodium
azide with three registered herbicides, which are effective
against nutsedges and other hard-to-kill weeds, were
investigated. Soil used for the trials was infested with
yellow nutsedge, hybrid pigweed, large crabgrass, morning
glory and other annual weeds.
Results unveil that after 28 days of treatment, SEP 100 alone
at 44.8 kg/ha rate was ineffective in controlling nutsedge.
However, all combinations of SEP 100 with s-metholachlor
yielded excellent control of nutsedge and other weed species.
After 32 days of treatment, wherein SEP 100 had been applied
at 0 and 44.8 kg ai/ha alone as well as in combination with
halosulphuron-methyl at 10.2, 25.4, 50.8, 88.9 and 101.6 g ai/ha,
combination treatments of SEP 100 and halosulphuron-methyl
resulted in excellent nutsedge control and the best overall
herbicidal activity.
Contact: Mr. R. Rodriguez Kabana, Auburn University, United
States of America.
E-mail:
rrodrigu@accesag.auburn.edu
Website:
www.mbao.org |
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MB alternatives for strawberry |
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Researchers at Instituto Andaluz de Investigacion y Formacion
Agraria, Spain, and IFAS-University of Florida, the United
States, have evaluated some methyl bromide (MB) alternatives
for application on strawberry. Experiments were undertaken at
two sites, one in Spain and the other in Florida. Common
treatments in both locations were non-treated control, MB +
chloropicrin, 1,3-dichloropropene + Pic (Telone C-35 and
Telopic), Pic, dimethyl disulphide (DMDS) + Pic and propylene
oxide (Propozone). Dazomet was only tested in Spain, whereas
the combination of methyl iodide + Pic was used in Florida.
Results have unveiled that Telone C-35, DMDS + Pic and Pic
consistently exhibited similar marketable yields as MB + Pic.
Similar results were found in Florida, with the exception of
propylene oxide, which had equal marketable fruit weight as MB
+ Pic.
Website:
www.mbao.org |
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