Soil fumigation with dichloropropene and metham‐sodium: Effect of soil cultivations on dose pattern

Abstract

Abstract In field trials, loamy soils were fumigated by injecting dichloropropene and metham‐sodium with a horizontal‐blade injector. Concentrations of cis‐ and trans‐ 1,3‐dichloropropene, and of methyl isothiocyanate were measured. The influence of different methods of tillage on fumigation effectiveness was compared by computing concentration‐time products at the various depths in the soil. With a fine‐structured top layer, there was no clear beneficial effect of shallow or deep rotary tillage before injection. If a dense top layer was not rotary‐tilled beforehand, deep and wide cracks were formed during injection. Shallow or deep rotary tillage both left loose cereal stubble mixed in the surface layer, which was difficult to finish off. Concentration‐time products could be substantially increased by finishing off the soil surface better after injection.