May 1999
UC SAREP Funds Methyl Bromide Alternatives
DAVIS -- Alternatives to the ozone-depleting agricultural fumigant methyl bromide are the focus of six new grants funded by the UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP).
"We can immediately address one of the most pressing problems of production agriculture with the methyl bromide projects, which will target farming systems where it has been a crucial tool," said SAREP Director Sean L. Swezey.
Methyl bromide is often used as a pre-plant fumigant to eliminate nematodes, weeds and pathogens in agricultural systems such as in strawberries and in orchard crops like almonds and walnuts. It is also commonly used as a post-harvest treatment to control insect pests. Methyl bromide is designated a Class I ozone depleter scheduled for a 100 percent use reduction in the United States by 2005.
"Our major concern in this new grants program is to assure funding for researchers and industries interested in biologically based solutions relying on microorganisms, farming rotations that suppress soil-borne pathogens, the use of clean nursery material and resistant rootstocks, for instance," Swezey said.
Funded projects include:
- Containerized Strawberry Transplants as a Replacement for Methyl Bromide Soil Fumigation in California Strawberry Nurseries; Kirk Larson, UC Davis pomology department; Curt Gaines, Lassen Nursery; $107,969 for three years
- Alternatives to Methyl Bromide for Control of Soil-borne Fungi, Bacteria and Weeds in Coastal Ornamental Crops; James MacDonald, UC Davis plant pathology department; Clyde Elmore, UC Davis vegetable crops/weed science department; Steve Tjosvold, UC Cooperative Extension, Watsonville; $76,228 for three years
- Acetaldehyde and Carbon Dioxide Fumigation for Postharvest Control of Insects on Strawberry Fruit; Elizabeth Mitcham, UC Davis pomology department; $75,986 for two years
- Development of Grape Rootstocks with Multiple Nematode Resistance; Howard Ferris, UC Davis nematology department; Andrew Walker, UC Davis viticulture and enology department; $100,744 for three years
- Microbiological Improvement of Root Health, Growth, and Yield of Strawberry; John Duniway, UC Davis plant pathology department; $118,780 for three years
- Cultural Control and Etiology of Replant Disorder of Prunus species; Greg Browne, USDA-Agricultural Research Service/UC Davis plant pathology department; Andreas Westphal, UC Davis plant pathology department; Tom Trout, USDA-Agricultural Research Service/Fresno; $150,638 for three years
The remainder of the funds will be used to support an on-farm demonstration project addressing biointensive alternatives to methyl bromide in strawberries. The project is called BASIS -- Biological Agriculture Systems in Strawberries: A biointensive production methods innovators group in the Monterey Bay region; Carolee Bull,USDA-Agricultural Research Service/Salinas; $160,000 for three years.
"There was a tremendous amount of interest from many different commodities for developing alternatives to methyl bromide," Swezey said. "We received 20 full proposals requesting a total of more than $3 million. Unfortunately, we could not fund all the worthwhile proposals submitted."
Last fall the California Legislature allocated $1 million to SAREP through the state Department of Pesticide Regulation for a new grants program to develop and extend alternatives to methyl bromide. Most of the funds will go directly to researchers; however, a proportion will be used to administer and implement the grants program. The grants program grew out of negotiations on Assembly Bill 1998, which expanded SAREP's Biologically Integrated Farming Systems grant program.
Assemblymember Helen Thomson (D-Yolo County), the author of AB 1998, said she is "pleased by the large number of project proposals generated by this state funding to develop alternatives to methyl bromide so California agriculture can remain competitive in the world market while improving environmental safeguards."
The bill was supported by a wide range of agricultural organizations and institutions, including the Community Alliance with Family Farmers, Farm Bureau and the University of California.
Media Contacts:
Lyra Halprin, (530) 752-8664, lhalprin@ucdavis.edu
