UC Davis

Preplant soil disinfestation often relies on harmful soil fumigants; however, the efficacy of sustainable alternatives using biomass amendment fermentation is limited to tillage depths (0-15 cm). This soil column study evaluated whether increasing the irrigation frequency could promote anaerobic pest-suppressive conditions in deeper soils by leaching biocidal fermentation products (organic acids) from surface-applied amendments. Columns received either singular (standard) or weekly irrigation. Almond hulls, an agricultural byproduct, were either incorporated 0-15 cm into soil or applied as a surface mulch. Oxygen and organic acids were measured at 4-50 cm over 21 days, and the experiment was conducted in triplicate. Anaerobic conditions (3% O₂) were achieved after 5 days, corresponding to acetic acid accumulation below amended layers: maximum concentrations ranged from 42 to 93 mM at 19-50 cm depths. Additional irrigation further increased concentrations in the deepest layer (50 cm) by almost 50%, demonstrating that water management can enable strategies for depth-dependent soil pest control. This may be particularly valuable for soil disinfestation ahead of the establishment of deep-rooted crops.