Location: Vegetable Research
Project Number: 6080-22000-028-026-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Apr 1, 2019
End Date: Mar 31, 2021
Objective:
This grant expands on current work by the USDA, ARS scientist to reduce the impact of bacterial wilt on pepper by use of anaerobic soil dis-infestation (ASD), by also reducing or eliminating weeds that are a major limiting factor in Solanaceous crop production. As weeds are a major concern to growers, especially organic growers, this work will directly impact the stakehoder by not only remediating soil of the bacterial wilt pathogen, but at the same time greatly reducing weed issues.
Approach:
This work will expand on the USDA, ARS Scientist's anaerobic soil dis-infestation (ASD) work by allowing a more diverse application of this pest-reduction strategy in different soil types, as well as on several cooperating growers farms. We will investigate additional carbon and nitrogen sources, many that will reduce the overall cost of ASD on a range of soil-types that will not only directly reduce the bacterial phytopathogen, but will also reduce or eliminate certain weed species. We will utilize greenhouse, growth chamber, and field trials to ascertain the best and most cost effective soil amendments to improve our existing system, while reducing overall time and cost to the grower.
