Control of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis
Studies carried out in Greece have demonstrated the efficacy of soil solarization in combination with the use of plastic sheets and low doses of methyl bromide against Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (EPPO A2 quarantine pest). Satisfactory results were obtained with impermeable plastic sheets (Plastopil Hazorea) and 30 days of solarization (with 35 g/m2 methyl bromide or even without it) on tomatoes grown under plastic houses. With both approaches, the incidence of the disease on tomato plants could be reduced down to 10 % (disease incidence was 47 % in the untreated control plot) and final yield reached 70 t/ha (instead of 30 t/h in the untreated control plot).
Sources
Antoniou, P.A.; Tjamos, E.C.; Panagopoulos, C.G. (1997) Reduced doses of methyl bromide, impermeable plastics and solarization against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum of cucumbers and Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis of tomatoes.
Proceedings of the 10th Congress of the Mediterranean Phytopathological Union, 1997-06-01/05, Montpellier (FR), 653-655.