Strawberry growers are being advised to start sterilising land as soon as soil conditions allow for best results this autumn.
Certis technical officer Alan Horgan said that while the use of methyl bromide, prior to its ban in 2005, saw efficacy achieved at sub-optimum soil conditions, it is important to employ best practice with the sterilants now available.
He said: “With Basamid, growers must think about soil temperature, moisture levels and the sequence of sterilising activities.
“Soil water-holding capacity of 60-70 per cent is essential as it is one of the crucial triggers to break the dormancy of difficult weeds along with soil temperature. So where soils are wet for 14 days before application, the weed seeds will be more likely to be stimulated into germination and will be far more vulnerable to the fumigant gas penetrating the seed coat.
“It is a cost-effective control and part of an integrated residue-reduction strategy so it’s worthwhile investing in getting the application process right.”
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