Growing Mustard as a Biofumigant

Katie Campbell-NelsonVegetable Program

Outline

• 4 Trials

• Precautions

• Benefits

• How to grow mustard as a biofumigant

How it works• Leaf tissues contain glucosinolates.

• Break down to isothiocyanates

• Similar to Vapam (metam sodium)

Phytophthora Blight Trials (2014 -2015)

Materials and Methods

Field

South Deerfield, 2014 & 2015 Hadley, 2015

Greenhouse Bioassay

Amherst

2014 & 2015

*NS

p = 0.0061

ResultsMustard Oat Sterile

Soil

P. Capsici inoculated (left) Non-inoculated (right)

Root Knot Nematode Trials(2015-2016)

Billy McCaffrey, Spring Rain Farm, Taunton, MA

Angie Madeiras, UMass

Root Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne hapla)

The process of root-knot nematode parasitism

Bartlem, et al., 2013.

Egg masses of the root-knot nematodeR.Wick

Close view of eggs from an egg mass of a root-knot

nematode. Note the juvenile nematode within the egg.

R.Wick

2nd molt juvenile nematode inside eggR.Wick

Materials and MethodsPlot design

Spring Rain Farm Red Fire Farm

200ft

1 2 3

mustardbare fallow undisturbed

30ft 30 ft 30ft

bare fallow

2

1,000 ft 3 1 3

undisturbed mustard (1acre) undisturbed

harvest isle harvest isle

2

bare fallow

10 ft. 50 ft 10 ft

1 gallon ziplockbag for Sugar Floatation Assay

bucket for Lettuce Bioassay

6” trowel forLettuce Bioassay

1” soil probe to take 6” deep samples for Sugar Floatation Assay

Materials and Methods

Lettuce Bioassay Severity Rating

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

4.50

5.00

Before During After

Red Fire Farm

Mustard Bare fallow Undisturbed

Lettuce Bioassay Severity Ratings

Carrot Threshold

Onion Threshold

Potato and Bean Thresholda a

b bb

a

p <.0001

p = .0066

a

b

bp = .0002

b

b

a

p = <.0001

Free living nematodes (multiple spp.)

3) Predacious

nematode

spearing a

victim

2) Fungal feeders

have narrow stylets

for piercing hypha.

1) Acrobeloides,

feeds on bacteria.

4) Omnivore

Photos: R L Wick

Sugar Floatation AssayFree living nematodes per 100cc soil

0.00

100.00

200.00

300.00

400.00

500.00

600.00

700.00

Before During After

Red Fire

Mustard

Bare Fallow

Undisturbed

0.00

500.00

1000.00

1500.00

2000.00

2500.00

Before During After

Spring Rain

*NS*NS

Precautions

• Attractive to same insect pests as Brassica crops

flea beetleimported cabbage worm

cabbage root maggot

Precautions

• Susceptible to same diseases as Brassica crops

Black Rot Alternaria Leaf Spot

Benefits• Reduce weed pressure

• Reduce populations of parasitic nematodes

• Reduce soil-borne pathogens:– Pythium

– Rhizoctonia

– Sclerotinia

– Verticillium

– Phytophthora

• Green Manure

• Pollinator habitat

How to grow mustard as a biofumigant

1. Buy the seed

2. Select a field

3. Prepare and Fertilize

4. Seed the field

5. Chop, incorporate, and seal

6. Plant your main season crop

1) Buy the Seed

Caliente (Seedway or Siegers)Pacific Gold

(Johnny’s Selected Seeds)

About $5/lb or $50/A

2) Select a field• Reduce weed pressure

• Reduce populations of parasitic nematodes

• Reduce soil-borne pathogens

• Not planned for other Brassicas

• 55-70 days

• Minimum soil temperature = 45⁰F

3) Prepare and Fertilize

• 50-80 lbs N

• 20-30 lbs S

• pH 6-7

4) Seed the Field

no-till grain drill

Brillion Sure Stand

Broad cast and Perfecta cultivator

9 to 12 lbs/acre

12-15 lbs/acre

15-20lbs/acre

5) Chop, incorporate, and seal

1) Use a flail or rotary mower to chop the plant tissue while the mustard is in bloom.

3) Seal the soil surface immediately after incorporation with a heavy board, roller, or culti-packer.

2) Immediately incorporate the residue with a chisel plow, rototiller, or heavy disc .

6) Plant your main season crop

• Same year (eg. Pumpkin)

• Next year (eg. Strawberries)

• Maintain other management strategies