Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation and Soilborne Pest Management

Abstract

Anaerobic soil disinfestation is a biologically based, preplant soil treatment that provides an alternative to chemical fumigation for soilborne pest and disease management. The method involves the incorporation of organic amendments that contain a labile carbon source, covering soil with clear or gas-impermeable polyethylene tarp, and irrigating until saturation. Populations of facultative anaerobes utilize the carbon source and deplete the soil of oxygen for a short period of time. The approach has been tested for use in multiple crops, soil types, and regions and inputs can be modified to target specific pathogens. It is a particularly valuable tool for use in organic production, for use in fumigant buffer zones, and for use in regions where soil solarization is not feasible due to environmental constraints. In addition to oxygen depletion, the mechanisms involved in disease suppression include biological control and the production of organic acids. Significant shifts in the composition of the soil microbial community occur during the treatment, and the effects of ASD can be seen beyond the first cropping system and have the potential to contribute to the development of a disease-suppressive soil.