Abstract
The presence of large amounts of sulfur compounds in the organs of Allium species has lead to the suggestion that the residues of this plant family could be used in soil biofumigation. In this paper, we report the preliminary results of laboratory bioassays and field experiments that investigated the biofumigant effects of onion and leek residues. The active molecules in these Allium species were determined to be dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) and dipropyl disulfide (DPDS). The results show that onion by-products and DMDS not only had a high level of biofumigant activity, but also stimulated vegetative growth. In the field, when Allium by-products were incorporated into the soil, DPDS was frequently released and was detectable for up to one month afterwards. This treatment increased asparagus and strawberry productivity by 15–20%, a result that is comparable to those obtained using Brassica-based biofumigation. Given the concordance between the results of the bioassays and those of the preliminary field trials, onion by-products may have practical potential as new biofumigants and could be used as an alternative to methyl bromide. In the agronomic context, it is crucial to develop improved application techniques that reduce the quantity of onion by-products that need to be incorporated into soil.
Published Version
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