Dose-response of pests to ethanedinitrile dose-response of weed seeds, soil borne pathogens, and plant-parasitic nematodes to ethanedinitrile

Ethanedinitrile is a chemical soil fumigant with promising efficacy against several key pests including weeds, nematodes, and soil-borne pathogens. The efficacy of 12 concentrations of ethanedinitrile, ranging from 8.7 to 1,751 mg kg − 1 soil, to control seeds and tubers of five weed species ( Cyperus esculentus, C. rotundus, Malva parviflora, Portulaca oleracea , and Stellaria media ), two nematode species ( Globodera rostochiennsis and Tylenchulus semipenetrans ), and four pathogenic fungal species ( Fusarium oxysporum, Macrophomina phaseolina, Pythium ultimum , and Verticillium dahlia ) were evaluated in acidic sand (pH: 5.6) and alkaline sandy loam (pH: 7.5–7.6), under controlled laboratory conditions. These pathogens and weeds are common in strawberry and vegetable fields and have been targeted by soil fumigants. Ethanedinitrile was injected into microcosms for 24 h. Lower doses of ethanedinitrile controlled fungal pathogens and nematodes better in acidic sand than in alkaline sandy loam. However, the reverse tended to be true for weed control as higher doses of ethanedinitrile in the acidic sand were required to control weeds than in the alkaline sandy loam. Results showed that ethanedinitrile can provide excellent control of soil-borne nematodes, pathogenic fungi, and key weed species in acidic sand and alkaline sandy loam.