New research on Prince Edward Island is using mustard and arugula to tackle pest problems in potato fields with a side benefit, farmers hope, of making the soil healthier at the same time.
And yes, it is very similar to the arugula in your salad, but the mustard has some added kick to it. The mustard in the field is called Caliente Rojo, and it is specially bred to have high levels of glucosinolates, a natural component in many pungent plants including mustard, cabbage, and horseradish.
“In conventional mustards, they’re bred down so that they’re not quite as potent, but this is a variety that is specifically bred to have really high levels of those glucosinolates,” said Ryan Barrett, research and agronomy specialist with the P.E.I. Potato Board. “When we incorporate this mustard into the ground as a green manure, it acts as what we call a natural biofumigant,” Barrett said.
“Through that, we’re releasing that chemical into the soil. When it combines with water, it makes a gas, and that gas helps to kill bad micro-organisms and diseases in the soil.”
Adding Arugula
Dúirt Barrett nach bhfuil ach méid beag arugula sa mheascán, ach go bhfuil cuspóir an-sonrach leis, atá dírithe ar néimeatóidí a mhealladh.
“Is maith le néimeatóidí beatha a thabhairt ar fhréamhacha arugula, agus mar sin cuirtear beagán de sa mheascán ionas go bhfásfaidh sé ag bun an cheannbhrait, agus go dtéann na néimeatóidí chuige sin,” a dúirt Barrett. “Ansin nuair a ionchorpraímid an mustaird, beidh na néimeatóidí sin sa chrios fréimhe sin ina bhfuil muid ag ionchorprú. Mar sin beidh siad níos nochtaithe don ghás nádúrtha bithbhreosla. "
Dúirt Barrett go bhfuil tionchar an bhithbhreosla láithreach, ach go maireann sé ar feadh cúpla seachtain freisin. “Ní phlandálfaidh an saothróir anseo aon rud eile ar feadh thart ar dhá sheachtain sa réimse seo chun ligean don bhithbhreitheach sin dul i bhfeidhm go hiomlán,” a dúirt Barrett. “Tar éis thart ar dhá sheachtain, cuirfidh sé barr cumhdaigh eile isteach anseo."
Cuar Foghlama
Tá dhá fheirm ag an saothróir prátaí Brandon MacPhail le mustaird i mbliana, i Stanley Bridge agus i New London. Dúirt MacPhail go bhfuil a lán foghlamtha aige cheana féin ina chéad bhliain leis an mbarr.
“The timing for flailing it down, I had to borrow some equipment because our stuff’s not quite the same,” MacPhail said. “Pretty small seeds. It was a bit of a challenge to plant, and get everything right, but it grows pretty easy. The whole way it’s going to be a learning experience.” MacPhail said he will be interested to see what kind of a difference the mustard makes. “I’d like to obviously see a yield increase. I’d like to see the plants perhaps healthier,” MacPhail said.
“It’s a tough one, though, because it’s basically taking that field out of production for the year, of any cash crop. It’s a balancing act, but hopefully doing this maybe once in every two cycles might help down the road.”
MacPhail said he likes the fact that mustard is a natural biofumigant. “It’s pretty nice being able to go that way instead of the other way with the sprayer,” MacPhail said. “It’s kind of nice for the bees, too, because it’s pretty bright yellow fields right now.”
Better Understanding
Dúirt Barrett gur thosaigh an tionscadal sonrach seo anuraidh, le cúig pháirc ar fud an Oileáin, agus go bhfuil na páirceanna sin i bprátaí i mbliana, agus go bhfuil cúig réimse eile curtha leo, a bheidh i bprátaí an bhliain seo chugainn.
“Toisc gur bliain thirim a bhí ann anuraidh, féadann sí sin cuid dár dtrialacha allamuigh a chaitheamh amach,” a dúirt Barrett. “Má táimid ag déanamh rudaí thar roinnt blianta, in áiteanna éagsúla sa chúige agus in iliomad réimsí, scaipimid an riosca sin, agus tá súil againn go bhfaighidh muid tuiscint eolaíoch níos fearr ar a bhfuil ag tarlú."
Dúirt Barrett gurb é an aidhm dheiridh uirlis eile a thabhairt d’fhásóirí prátaí sa bhosca uirlisí - ag úsáid rothlú barr chun cuid de na lotnaidí agus na galair ina réimsí a bhainistiú, lena n-áirítear galar atá ag fáil bháis go luath. Ach dúirt Barrett go bhfuil an síol mustaird costasach, agus go bhfuil go leor oibre le déanamh sa bharra freisin, agus go gcaithfear é a ionchorprú san ithir ag an am ceart.
“We’re trying to identify how well does the mustard work? What’s the economics of doing it? And can we measure the effect it’s having on some of the things that cause potatoes to die early, and lower yield?” Barrett said. “If the return is enough, there’ll be more growers that would look at doing it, particularly for some of their worst affected fields.”
Barrett said researchers hope to have some preliminary results this fall.
Foinse: CBC