Methyl bromide has been used to manage soil borne disease and pest of strawberries for 30 years. Many countries have already banned the toxic substance and the rest will follow next year. There are som alternative methods of control. With less than one year to go before the use of methyl bromide is banned in industrialised nations many countries have already prohibited its use ahead of the 1 January 2005 deadline. Developing countries have until 2015 to phase out the product which is used largely asa soil disinfectant agent but which is also highly toxic and is an ozone depleting agent. In case you're still looking for an alternative, here are some reminders. The main advantage of methylbromide is its broad spectrum effectiveness against fungi (Phytophtora, Rizoctonia, Verticillium), nematodes, weeds and soilborne pests. An additional positive side effect is increased vigour, yield and fruit size. In the strawberry sector, the ban is an issue in Mediteranean countries and there is a need for similar methods to manage soilbome pests and diseases. Spain is the most important strawberry producer in Europe (8300 ha in Spain, 4250 ha in Italy and 3660 ha in France) but also the largest supplier of strawberry runner producer (1000 ha). Therefore it isessential for it to produce disease-free plant material.
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