Synapse
⌘+K
Synapse
PulseExploreClubsResearchersJournals
Instagram
HomeClubsExplore
September 4, 2026European Journal of Plant PathologyOpen Access

Crop termination with microwaves: thermo-management of residual plant material and pathogen inoculum in strawberry

View Full Paper
Ask AI
Bookmark
Share

Authors

SMScott W. MattnerDMDylan McFarlaneCZCora Zon

Discussion

Loading...

Member takes

Overview

Field and laboratory study demonstrates that microwave heating effectively terminates strawberry crops and suppresses soilborne pathogens, highlighting a viable non-chemical management strategy.

Key Points

  • To evaluate microwave heating as a non-chemical alternative for terminating strawberry crops and suppressing crown rot pathogens in infected plant residue and soil.
  • Conducted pot experiments using microwave-heated soil to quantify the thermal sensitivity and estimate LD50 and LD90 values for Macrophomina phaseolina and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae within infected strawberry crown tissue.
  • Conducted a field trial evaluating microwave soil heating (80–90 °C) compared to herbicide application (glufosinate-ammonium + triclopyr) for crop termination efficacy, weed emergence, crown pathogen survival, and soil pathogen DNA concentrations.
  • Estimated thermal sensitivity thresholds (LD50 and LD90) were 63.1 °C and 86.2 °C for M. phaseolina, and 72.3 °C and 87.3 °C for F. oxysporum f. sp. fragariae, respectively.
  • Microwave heating to 80–90 °C terminated crops as effectively as herbicide treatment, reduced crown pathogen viability by an average of 97%, decreased Senecio vulgaris emergence by 73%, and lowered soil DNA concentrations of M. phaseolina by 95% and Pythium spp. by 80%.

Cite This Study

Mattner et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9a862b5d9e33f25c631cf2https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-026-03302-6
View Full Paper
Ask AI
Bookmark
Share