
International Conference on Methyl Bromide
Opens HereBy Doris
Stanley December 3, 1998NEWS RELEASE:
ORLANDO, Dec. 3--Scientists from around the world will gather here on
Monday, Dec. 7, to discuss progress on finding an alternative to methyl
bromide, a widely used pesticide that will be banned in 2005. Meetings will be
held at the Omni Rosen Hotel on Dec. 7-9. Methyl bromide is used as a soil fumigant before planting to control plant
pathogens and weeds, as a quarantine treatment on harvested crops, as a pest
control on stored commodities and as a structural fumigant. Identified as an
ozone depletor, the chemical is being phased out gradually under the
U.S. Clean Air Act. Unless viable alternatives are found, loss of methyl bromide will
cause dire problems for agriculture globally, said Kenneth W. Vick,
methyl bromide coordinator for the U.S.
Department of Agriculture. We hold this conference annually so that
scientists and industry representatives from around the world can discuss their
progress in seeking potential replacements for this chemical that has made
agricultural production what it is today. Vick leads methyl bromide research for the
Agricultural Research Service,
USDAs chief scientific research agency. Hardest hit by the impending ban will be growers in Florida and California.
They use methyl bromide to fumigate soil before planting strawberries, tomatoes
and other crops. ARS scientists at our lab here in Orlando have been researching potential
alternatives to this fumigant for some time, Vick said. At the
conference, Roy McDonald will report on their use of irradiation as a
quarantine treatment to rid grapefruit of pests. Irradiation effectively kills
pests, but it can also damage fruit. McDonald and colleagues found that
irradiation stresses the fruit, leading to pitting in the peel. By treating the
fruit with heat before irradiation, they reduced the damaging effects of the
irradiation. The
U.S.
Horticultural Research Laboratory is located on Camden Road in Orlando. At the conference, 20 ARS scientists will report on methyl bromide-related
research, including the following: Soil fumigants 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D), methyl isothiocyanate (MITC)
and chloropicrin are potential alternatives. The major factor in determining
their efficacy and emission rates is the application technique. Applying these
fumigants through drip irrigation reduces the amount needed and could enhance
effectiveness. Drip-applied Telone 35 may be able to produce strawberry yields
comparable to methyl bromide/chloropicrin.Husein
Ajwa and
Tom Trout,
ARS Water Management Research
Lab, Fresno, Calif.
ARS scientist Mark Mazzola discovered that a group of fungi cause apple
replant, the major problem for growers striving for an orchard on a site where
apples had been grown previously. As part of a systems approach, Mazzola is
using bacterial organisms against the fungi. He has also found that planting
Eltan, a soft-white winter wheat, prior to planting apples helps control
replant disease.Mark
Mazzola, ARS
Tree Fruit Research Lab, Wenatchee,
Wash.
Fruit can tolerate high temperature forced-air treatment designed to
kill the Mediterranean fruit fly. However, the treatment can adversely affect
taste because the heat acts on fruit volatiles important to taste. ARS
scientists found that heat reduces the amounts of the fruit volatiles pinene,
myrcene and limonene. Monitoring the levels of these compounds could help more
accurately detect, and hopefully prevent, flavor loss.David M.
Obenland, ARS
Postharvest Quality and
Genetics Research Unit, Fresno, Calif.
Grapefruit can be protected against the Mexican fruit fly by
refrigerated storage in ultra-low oxygen for 21 days. Scientists have shown
that the same conditions can control the green mold (Penicillium
digitatum) that attacks this fruit. The scientists also identified a lethal
dose of heat for Mexican fruit fly larvae that can be used on grapefruit,
oranges and tangerines.Krista C. Shellie, ARS
Crop Quality and Fruit Insects
Research Unit, Weslaco, Texas.
More than 122 participants from 14 countries are registered for the
conference. About 131 scientific papers on the methyl bromide issue will be
presented. The conference is sponsored
by USDA, the Methyl Bromide Alternatives Outreach in Fresno, Calif.,
Californias Crop Protection Coalition and the
Environmental Protection Agency. Scientific contact: Scientists mentioned in this release can be
reached from Dec. 7-9 at the Omni Rosen Hotel, 9840 International Drive,
Orlando, Fla., phone (407) 354-9840 or (800) 800-9840. After Dec. 9, Kenneth W.
Vick can be reached at ARS' National Program Staff,
Beltsville, Md., phone (301) 504-5321, fax (301) 504-5987 Story contacts Water Management Research Mark Mazzola U.S. Department of Agriculture | |