Effect of Soil Fumigation on Volunteer Potato (Solanum tuberosum) Tuber Viability¹

Abstract

Management of volunteer potato is difficult and requires an integrated approach. Soil fumigation is one tactic known to reduce population densities of certain weeds and may be a method to improve the management of volunteer potato. The effect of 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D) and metham sodium on potato tuber viability was tested in sealed glass jars at various doses, incubation temperatures, and times of exposure. Tuber viability data were fitted to a logistic model, and I 90 doses (90% suppression) were calculated for each combination of temperature and time of exposure. I 90 doses for 1,3-D ranged from 41 to 151 kg/ha and from 96 to over 480 kg/ha metham sodium. Both nondormant and dormant tubers were injured by exposure to metham sodium. Soil fumigation with 1,3-D and metham sodium has the potential to greatly reduce the number of viable potato tubers.

Factors Influencing Metham Efficacy on Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) Tubers

“…This is in agreement with Boydston and Williams (2003) research, which evaluated fumigant effects on volunteer potato tubers. All main effects and interactions were highly significant (P , 0.00001).…”

“…In general, tuber sprouting was affected by all factors: metham dose, exposure temperature, exposure duration, and yellow nutsedge tuber conditioning. This is in agreement with Boydston and Williams (2003) research, which evaluated fumigant effects on volunteer potato tubers. All main effects and interactions were highly significant (P , 0.00001).…”

Volunteer potato interference in carrot

“…Herbivory from the Colorado potato beetle enhances suppression of sublethal herbicide use (Boydston and Williams 2005;Williams et al 2004b). Soil fumigation, although primarily used to control nematodes and soil pathogens, greatly reduces the number of viable potato tubers (Boydston and Williams 2003). Given the current state of weed management technology in carrot, improved weed management systems will likely target several aspects of the life cycle of volunteer potato with multiple tactics used during weed growth.…”

Duration of volunteer potato (Solanum tuberosum) interference in bulb onion

“…Improving tuber recovery during commercial potato harvest is perhaps the most rational solution. Soil fumigation, although primarily used to control nematodes and other soil pathogens, has the potential to greatly reduce the number of viable potato tubers (Boydston and Williams 2003). Using arthropod defoliation inflicted by the Colorado potato beetle [Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say)] has been proposed by Boydston and Seymour (2002) as an additional form of volunteer potato suppression and shows promise when integrated with reduced herbicide doses (Williams et al 2004b).…”