Where and how is Methyl Bromide used?
Methyl Bromide is used for three main purposes: i. Soil fumigant: mechanised injection or manual surface treatment Fumigating soil before planting high value crops such as tomatoes, peppers, melons, strawberries, flowers and tobacco. Soil fumigation is carried out prior to planting where crop productivity may be compromised by soilborne pests such as plant pathogenic fungi, nematodes, soil insects or weeds. Depending on the type of application and the local soil, between 35%-60% of the Methyl Bromide is emitted to the atmosphere at the end of the fumigation when the sheets are removed, often 24 to 72 hours later, as is the case with strawberry production. In the case of row (bed) fumigation, as is the case with tomato production, the traps are left on for the entire growing season, some 60 to 120 days. Injection technique. Methyl Bromide gas, approximately 40-120 grammes per m, is injected into the soil at a depth of around 20-25 centimeter before a crop is planted. This will effective
