Growers use soil fumigation to manage soilborne pests and diseases and give their potato crop a stronger start. But what happens to the soil’s biological community afterward?
In my latest article for Spud Smart, I explore that question in the first of a three-part series on soil fumigation and soil biology.
Soil fumigation changes the microbial community. Some organisms decline, while others survive or recolonize. Research in New Brunswick and Oregon found that several microbial groups accounted for a greater share of the DNA measured at harvest in chloropicrin-treated soil than in untreated soil.
That’s why we describe the process as a soil reset. As susceptible organisms are suppressed, competition and available resources change, creating opportunities for organisms that remain or return. Looking at how that community develops gives us a fuller picture of what happens below the surface after treatment.
These findings are helping us better understand how soil biology responds to fumigation. The next step is exploring how those microbial changes may relate to root health, disease suppression, and crop performance.
For growers, understanding that process could help connect soil management decisions with the goal that drives every season: a healthy, high-quality, marketable crop.
Read the full article on Spud Smart: Disturbance Isn’t the Whole Story.
To talk to someone about Strike soil fumigation, email info@strikefumigants.com.