In her research at the WSU Puyallup Research and Extension Centre, Elliott deals with fungi, viruses, bacteria, nematodes and water moulds such as Phytophthera, which is one of the most destructive diseases of nursery, forest and food crops worldwide. Elliott, though, looks for practices that rely not on pesticides but on keeping soil and water clean, practices that protect the environment and reduce the chance of loss to invasives.
To minimize the risk of contaminating soil, she suggest removing plant debris from production and display areas and making sure pots are not in contact with the ground. Weeds, which can harbour pathogens, should be controlled, and cull piles should be kept separate and downhill from growing areas.
She recommended two ways of sterilizing soil. A combination of both is most effective:
Solarization involves tilling, raking, watering and covering with clear plastics. This requires four to six weeks of clear skies and high temperatures. The practice can also be used to sterilize pots and potting mix.
• Steam can be used to raise soil temperature to 125 degrees for 50 minutes, varying with moisture content and bulk density.
Click here for more tips and information at The CapitallPress.com
Source: capitalpress.com





Announcements
Job Offers
- Senior Agronomist/Horticulturist and Agronomy/Horticulture Manager
- Growers & Assistant Growers
- Plant Biologist
- Ripening Officer Bananas / Exotics
- Grower and Nurser
- Farm Manager
- Floriculture Production Planning Manager
- Agricultural Mechanic / Crop Sprayer Operator
- Technical Services Manager
- Quality Controller
"Tweeting Growers"
Top 5 -yesterday
- Yuksel Seeds expands its presence in China
- In eight years, Ranjit Singh has become one of New Zealand’s largest telegraph cucumber growers
- Berry farm cluster model from Panama to the globe
- Cloth washer thoroughly cleans shredded cloth during crop changes
- UK: £60m worth of food wasted due to lack of workers, NFU warned
Top 5 -last week
- Top tips for growing lettuce in a greenhouse
- UK: Grower reduces greenhouse temperature by more than 6°C during heatwave with no cooling, fog systems
- New packaging for hydroponic fertilizer launched
- Taking the wisdom from indoor farming and bringing it into greenhouses
- "Kawaguchi tomato variety good option for consumer, but also good for the grower"
Top 5 -last month
Plant pathologist Marianne Elliot:
Cost-effective and sustainable ways to sterilize your soil
Publication date:
Receive the daily newsletter in your email for free | Click here
Other news in this sector:
- 2022-08-17 UK drought: are farmers facing the crop failures of 1976 all over again?
- 2022-08-17 US (KY): Something's fishy in Shelbyville: Farm using aquaponics to produce lettuce
- 2022-08-16 These growers serve up fresh foods to Augusta restaurants
- 2022-08-16 Hydroponics & citrus farming
- 2022-08-15 New tool helps strengthen local food systems
- 2022-08-12 US (OR): Research shows that plastic tunnels are very good for strawberries
- 2022-08-12 Agave: The new drought-tolerant California crop?
- 2022-08-12 Trinidad and Tobago: Hydroponic farm offers more economic opportunities than fish production
- 2022-08-11 US: How the climate deal would help farmers aid the environment
- 2022-08-10 Top tips for growing lettuce in a greenhouse
- 2022-08-09 "Drought will affect economy, not food supply"
- 2022-08-09 Uganda: Soilless farming highlights Kabale Farm Clinic
- 2022-08-09 Regulation of fleshy fruit ripening: From transcription factors to epigenetic modifications
- 2022-08-09 Mapping fruit characteristics faster with vision and AI
- 2022-08-08 Growing fruits and vegetables on the roof of the MIN in Toulouse
- 2022-08-08 Covered cultivation extends soft fruit season
- 2022-08-08 Pink and White strawberries soon to hit Aussie market
- 2022-08-08 "Fulvic acid encourages optimal growth in all plant phases"
- 2022-07-22 US (VA): Inside the Goochland greenhouse trying to create the freshest lettuce in town
- 2022-07-22 Powering plant growth with solar instead of photosynthesis more efficient?