XXVII ESN International Symposium
Rome, Italy 14-18 June 2004
Killing Nematodes With Sandwich Steaming; A New System Of Soil Steaming
Seifert H.D., MSD GmbH Agrar- und Umwelttechnik, Stollenberg 8, D-77770 Durbach, Germany,
Grunder J.M., AGROSCOPE FAW, Research Plant Protection, Nematology, CH-8820 Wädenswil, Switzerland
Increasing concern about the use of nematicides in crops has created an urgent need to develop new, more environmental friendly crop protection strategies. Methyl bromide is a very poisonous but widely used soil fumigant that is being phased out by 2005 in industrialised countries and by 2015 in developing countries. Steaming the soil suppresses nematodes in a manner similar to solarization. But steaming was probably economical only for greenhouse operations or small plantings of high-value-crops. So far these machines were rather slow, required perfect refinements for use. The effectiveness of their steaming treatment against nematodes had to be carefully assessed. We present here a new technique with steam machines capable of performing field applications.
This new disinfestation technique has been recognised as a non-chemical alternative to methyl bromide. The very effective way to kill nematodes is the new “sandwich steaming” method. The soil is treated with steam from two sides – from the surface covered with a steam hood and simultaneously from the depth by a steam plough. The maximum steaming-depth is 50 cm at the moment. The secret of this new system occurs in high efficiency of the steaming method (100 kg steam per m²h). Preliminary results show, that the energy for steaming can be reduced by 30% in comparison to the conventional steaming-methods (e.g. sheet-steaming).
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Further investigations into soil properties with relation to steaming are currently in progress. Interested for cooperation / Further information:
Seifert C.D: info@moeschle.de
Grunder J.M.: grng@zhaw.ch.
