Scientists have published one of the very first scientific articles about the fumigant against nematodes on potatoes
It all started with curiosity. How does the fumigant commonly used to control nematodes in potato growing systems affect the microbial communities of the soil?
To explore this issue, scientists from the University of Colorado and the University of Oregon used innovative sequencing methods to study changes in the structure of soil bacteria and fungal communities in response to the use of 1,3-dichloropropene in the northwestern United States potato fields.
Their study showed that the fumigant had very minor effects.
1,3-dichloropropene is an organic compound used as a pesticide to control nematodes (roundworms), which reduce the yield of many plants.
Despite its widespread use, little is known about the effect of the fumigant on other organisms in the soil. A recent article published in the public domain of the Phytobiomes Journal was one of the first publications on the impact of nematode management practices, including using especially 1,3-dichloropropene, on soil microflora.
“We found it interesting that only minor effects of 1,3-D were observed on both bacterial and fungal communities, which suggests that soil may be a sustainable ecosystem, and fumigants may not have long-term effects on the entire microbial community,” said scientist Kenneth Frost.
The study also showed that the average efficacy of 1,3-D was estimated to be 98% for all nematodes studied, including those affecting the root system.
As a result, the authors suggest that a greater impact on the microbial community is due to other farming methods, such as tillage, cover crops, irrigation, and so on, than the use of fumigants in potato growing systems.
According to Frost, there is still room for further research of this kind: “We believe that studying the structure of soil microbial communities in response to various crop management strategies, including pesticides, will ultimately help farmers better take care of soil health and soil microbiomes to increase yields. "
Read more: https://www.agroxxi.ru