Impact of land management practices on soilborne pests and productivity of tomato
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Published source details
Chellemi D.O., Rosskopf E.N., Wu T., Graham J. & Martin K. (2005) Impact of land management practices on soilborne pests and productivity of tomato. 2005 Annual International Research Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emissions Reductions, 31st October-3rd November, 2005, San Diego, California, USA, 48.
Published source details Chellemi D.O., Rosskopf E.N., Wu T., Graham J. & Martin K. (2005) Impact of land management practices on soilborne pests and productivity of tomato. 2005 Annual International Research Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emissions Reductions, 31st October-3rd November, 2005, San Diego, California, USA, 48.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Convert to organic farming Action Link |
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Convert to organic farming
A randomised, replicated, controlled study in 2003-2004 in Fort Pierce, Florida, USA (Chellemi et al. 2005) found that the incidence of fusarium wilt (caused by Fusarium oxysporum fungus) was < 3% in organic plots of tomato Solanum lycopersicum compared to a range of 1-19% in conventional plots. Damage by root-knot nematodes Meloidogyne spp. was low for both types of management, with < 2% of root systems developing galls. Marketable tomato yields were reportedly lower in organic compared to conventional management plots. Organic and conventional regimes were applied for 3-4 years before the study crops were grown in 2003-2004. Organic plots received poultry manure and urban plant debris annually and had contained cover crops (sunn hemp Crotalaria juncea and Japanese millet Echinochloa esculenta) prior to the study. Conventional plots received soil fumigant and herbicides and had been cropped annually with tomato prior to the study. Each treatment was tested in six replicate 0.16 ha plots. Disease sampling methods were not described.
