Comparative yield efficiencies of methyl bromide substitute fumigants and mulching systems for pepper production in the Southeast

Abstract

Methyl Bromide (MB) is one of the most effective and widely used commercial chemicals in agriculture and non-agricultural sectors respectively. The decision to phase-out MB by 2005 set the stage for scientists to come up with a non-less-toxic replacement alternative or combinations thereof. This study focused on comparing yield efficiencies of different MB substitute fumigants and mulching systems for pepper production in the Southeast. Results of this study depicted that pepper production is potentially maximized under the tel-pic-vap treatment which is the only fumigation method that yielded significant differences relative to at least one other alternative approach.

Keywords

• Methyl Bromide
• Replacement alternatives
• Fumigants
• pepper
• mulch
• yield
• efficiency