Biofumigation Seed

To assist vegetable growers to maximise their profitability and sustainability biofumigation offers a way to improve soil health by providing a source of organic carbon, remediating soil structure decline, and to assist in reducing crop losses due to soil borne pests and diseases.

Serve-Ag has been working hard to successfully develop and integrate Biofumigation into a range of horticultural production systems in Tasmania, and is now recognised as a leader in this area of soil health management in Australia.

A range of biofumigation seed to suit your situation is available from Serve-Ag.

What is Biofumigation?

Biofumigation is the use of certain Brassica cultivars, which are grown, pulverized and incorporated into the soil prior to undertaking a cropping program.  Biofumigation refers to the suppression of various soil borne pests and diseases by naturally occurring compounds.  The biofumigation process creates a powerful soil sterilising agent, known as Isothiocyanate (TC) a natural gas is released from Brassicaceous plant tissues.

The ITC gas is released once the plant cells are damaged (by pulverisation), and when the crop is rapidly incorporated into the soil the sterilising Biofumigation effect takes place. By returning green plant tissue (i.e.: ‘green manure’) a large amount of organic matter is also returned into the soil profile.

Successful Biofumigation offers the following benefits:

• Reduction in soil borne pests and diseases
• Increases soil organic carbon levels
• Nutrient catch crop to retain leachable nutrients
• Improved soil structure
• Increase the soil’s nutrient and soil moisture holding capacity
• Weed suppression
• Improved crop productivity
• Offers an alternative to existing agricultural chemicals

The Biofumigation effect is limited to only certain Brassica cultivars, and that it is important to only use improved and recognised varieties to achieve the expected benefits.

If you require further information and assistance in adopting Biofumigation and making it work for you please contact Serve-Ag.