This project will deploy a biologically-based farming system that is a scalable replacement for pre-plant soil fumigation in strawberries.
Fumigant alternatives are a high priority under California’s Sustainable Pest Management (SPM) roadmap that seeks to reduce use of high-risk pesticides, including the pre-plant soil fumigants, by 2050. However, current fumigant alternatives have significant limitations.
Researchers are developing and testing an innovative Biological and Integrated Farming System (BIFS) that can resolve this dire situation through precision management of soil borne pathogens and weeds using steam soil disinfestation. Steam offers a consistent and effective method of controlling many pathogens and weeds, and this project will adapt successful steam applicator technology from leafy greens for use in strawberry fields
Key project activities:
- Develop and field-test a strawberry-specific steam applicator on commercial farms.
- Optimize steam performance across soil types, pathogens, and weed species.
- Use rapid molecular diagnostics to guide soil and pathogen management.
- Evaluate how steam, fumigation, and control treatments affect the soil microbiome.
- Integrate disease-resistant varieties and beneficial rotation crops to improve soil health.
- Assess the lasting benefits of steam treatment for subsequent vegetable crops.
Center for Agroecology / UC Santa Cruz participants: Jenny Broome, Darryl Wong
Other participants:
- Rod Koda, Shinta and Kawahara Farms, strawberry BIFS mentor grower innovator.
- Steve Fennimore, Owner, Smart Steam Applications for Agriculture LLC. Lead for soil steam disinfestation machine fabrication and operation and weed management.
- Nicholas LeBlanc, Research Plant Pathologist, USDA ARS Salinas. Lead strawberry plant pathologist and microbial ecologist.
- Austin Bowie, CEO, High Degree Machinery, lead engineer, High Degree
- Bill Turechek, Vice President of Research, California Strawberry Commission. Lead for statewide strawberry grower communication and outreach.
- Mark Bolda, UC ANR Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito Counties Farm Advisor. Lead for the tri counties on-farm demonstrations of the strawberry BIFS project including research, demonstration, and outreach.
- Oleg Daugovish, UC ANR Ventura County Farm Advisor. Lead the Ventura County on-farm demonstrations of the strawberry BIFS project including research, demonstration, and outreach.
- Rachael Goodhue, Donald H. and Miriam C. Stelling Professor of Agricultural Economics, University of California, Davis. Lead for project cost and benefit analysis and impact assessment.
- David Sanford, Santa Cruz County Agricultural Commissioner. Lead for local regulatory issues and grower contacts and community engagement.
Funder: California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Biologically Integrated Farming Systems (BIFS)
For more information about this research, contact Jenny Broome, project coordinator, at jabroome@ucsc.edu.