Date of Award
12-2021
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Plant and Environmental Science
Committee Chair/Advisor
Matthew Cutulle
Committee Member
Brian Ward
Committee Member
Bhupinder Singh Farmaha
Committee Member
Vidya Suseela
Abstract
Managing weeds is one of the most challenging aspects of growing specialty crops. Weed control options are limited for specialty crops due to absence of effective herbicide options. The limited current herbicide options risk carryover and damage to subsequent crops. Bacterial wilt is another problem causing significant yield losses in southeast vegetable production. After the termination of methyl bromide due to health and environmental concerns, several other chemical fumigants gained interest, including 1,3-dichloropropene, chloropicrin and metam sodium/potassium. While less toxic to the environment than methyl bromide, these fumigants pose carcinogenic and mutagenic threats. Alternative weed control and diseases management tactics are needed. Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) has the potential to fit into current pest management. ASD is a fumigation alternative, carbon source-driven soil microbial process that creates antagonistic conditions, such as microbial community shifts, production of volatile organic compounds, reduced soil pH and higher anaerobic conditions that can inactivate certain weed seeds and soil borne pathogens. Two experiments were conducted jointly at Clemson University Coastal Research and Education Center and USDA ARS vegetable laboratory, Charleston, South Carolina to utilize ASD for controlling weeds and bacterial wilt in tomato. The objective of first study was to evaluate the potential of various mix carbon amendments in ASD procedure to control weeds and Ralstonia solanacearum in native South Carolina soil in organic settings. The second study was carried out to test best ASD treatment from first study along with herbicide applications for Cyperus esculentus L. CYPES control. The results suggested that ASD incorporated with mixed treatments can effectively maximize weed and bacterial wilt management in tomato production. Additional research is needed to further evaluate these treatments via field trials with high existing pest pressure at multiple sites within multiple soil types.
Recommended Citation
Singh, Gursewak, "Utility of Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation for Weed and Disease Management in Solanaceous Vegetable Crops" (2021). All Theses. 3693.
https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses/3693
Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/ 0000-0002-1302-578X
Included in
Horticulture Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Weed Science Commons