Strawberry nursery plants

Because methyl bromide will likely be eliminated as a soil fumigant for strawberry nursery production by the year 2005, an alternative treatment must be found to preserve strawberry production in California. To address this problem, strawberry producer Allen Albaugh is conducting an experiment to test the effectiveness of sterile growth media as an alternative to methyl bromide fumigation in suppressing pathogens, nematodes, and weeds. Albaugh proposes two possible alternatives to methyl bromide: cogeneration ash produced as a byproduct of burning weeds for energy, and mint residue from the distillation of peppermint plants into oil. Both of these wastes are produced at Albaugh's nursery. Using these media would not only provide a sustainable use for the waste, but also eliminate the use of methyl bromide on strawberries.

For the experiment, a 20-acre strawberry field will be divided up into plots, each plot having a different type of treatment. The entire plot will be split with inoculation of phytophthora cactorum. At the end of the experiment, plant growth, weed control, nematodes, and the presence or absence of phytophthora will be measured. The results of this experiment will be written up in a report and will also be available to the public through a field day held at the research site.