Methyl bromide alternatives in a bell pepper–squash rotation

Field studies were conducted to evaluate potential methyl bromide alternatives against multiple pests in a bell pepper ( Capsicum annum L.) – squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.) cropping sequence. Early in the growing season, the most effective treatments in suppressing purple nutsedge ( Cyperus rotundus L.) emergence through the polyethylene mulch were methyl bromide, methyl iodide, and chisel-injected 1,3-dichloropropene plus chloropicrin [1,3-D+C35 (chisel)]. However by the end of the season in 1999, only methyl bromide treatment had less purple nutsedge emerging through the polyethylene than the nontreated control. Each soil-applied treatment resulted in nematode-susceptible pepper plants with lower root-gall indices [ Meloidogyne spp. (root knot nematode)] than the nontreated control, while there were no differences among treatments with the nematode-resistant pepper cultivar. Total fungi isolated from soil was lower in all treated plots relative to the nontreated control, with the exception of methyl iodide. However, methyl bromide was the only treatment that was consistently effective against Pythium spp. and Fusarium spp. A treatment of metham prior to planting squash was beneficial in reducing root-gall indices in plots treated with 1,3-D+C35 (chisel) and methyl bromide prior to the pepper crop. Methyl bromide, methyl iodide, and 1,3-D+C35 (chisel) applied before pepper resulted in squash with lower root-gall indices than the nontreated control. Glyphosate applied between the first and second crop eliminated exposed weed foliage through the polyethylene mulch, possibly muting the effects of the second crop treatment on weed densities. Results of this study indicate that there are some potential methyl bromide alternatives available to growers for use in pest control, however there does not appear to be one broad-spectrum pesticide that will replace methyl bromide. Also, an effective control for nutsedge species within the pepper–squash cropping system is still elusive.