Use of High Glucosinolate Mustard as an Organic Biofumigant in Vegetable Crops Webinar by eOrganic

This webinar was recorded on April 11, 2017. The presenters are Heather Darby and Abha Gupta, University of Vermont Extension; and Katie Campbell-Nelson, University of Massachusetts.

About the Webinar

Brassica plants, including mustards, contain glucosinolates that, when broken down, produce compounds that can reduce weed pressure, insect pests, populations of parasitic nematodes, and soil-borne pathogens such as Pythium, Rhizoctonia, Sclerotinia, Verticillium, and Phytophthora. In this webinar, we’ll address the use of mustard cover crops that have been bred specifically to have high glucosinolate concentrations and act as a biofumigant in crops like potatoes, peppers, carrots, black beans, and strawberries.

About the Presenters

Katie Campbell-Nelson is an Extension educator for the University of Massachusetts Vegetable Program with a background in soil and nutrient management and sustainable agriculture. She conducts research and provides educational programming for vegetable farmers in Massachusetts and is an editor of Vegetable Notes, a publication with practical and up-to-date research-based information for vegetable growers.

Dr. Heather Darby is an agronomic and soils specialist at the University of Vermont Extension where she conducts applied research and farmer outreach programs on farm-based fuel, cover crops and soil health, nutrient management, organic livestock forages, and grain production systems in the Northeast. She also operates a certified organic vegetable farm with her family in northern Vermont.

Abha Gupta is a crops and soils coordinator with the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program where she helps to conduct soil health research and nutrient management information on vegetable production systems.

Published January 13, 2017

This is an eOrganic article and was reviewed for compliance with National Organic Program regulations by members of the eOrganic community. Always check with your organic certification agency before adopting new practices or using new materials. For more information, refer to eOrganic's articles on organic certification.