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WWW.POTATOGROWER.COM 15 we have discovered five primary variables that can create significant differences in product effectiveness—often when only minor adjustments to application method are employed. We call them the Five Pillars of metam movement in soil. These new insights are the keys for optimizing the effectiveness of metam soil fumigant application. Moisture Preservation Maintain 80 percent moisture throughout the soil profile beginning 30 days before application, up to the day of application, if possible. Moist soil facilitates metam movement, assists with pest respiration, and helps preserve the product. Once soil moisture drops to 50 percent, because of heat, wind or excessive soil movement from equipment, readings will largely disappear within hours rather than days. With that knowledge, we now understand the critical importance of pre-moisture. Placement Strategy Compared to other fumigants, the vapor pressure of metam products is relatively low. They simply don't travel as far or as uniformly as applicators have assumed for many years. Sample the soil to better understand your exact pest location. Then, precision place your metam product near your targeted pests through chemigation, shanking or deep shanking. Equipment Minor adjustments to the equipment you're using to prepare soil, apply product and seal the application cannot be underestimated. Know the precise and unique pattern created by your machinery. It's okay to rough the soil up a little bit as long as you don't dry it out or leave product on or near the soil surface. Pest Respiration Metam products are most effective when weed seeds, diseases and nematodes are respiring and thriving before product application. Soil that is too dry affects pest respiration. If you can't imagine a weed seed or disease propagule really thriving in a certain environment, then it probably isn't, and suppression is much more difficult. Soil Tilth Product movement may be limited by dry, compacted or cloddy soil. Avoid applying the product to deeply frozen soil. Anything you can do to avoid drying the soil is critical because the metam may dissipate in dry soil before it has time to do its job. Today, the readings keep coming in from applicators across the country who have begun to take their own soil samples following application. Each case is unique, and many operators are reporting extraordinary results from making the necessary adjustments to specifically locate the pest they're targeting, match the application to that area, and optimize the application to maximize below-ground exposure to pests. Our findings show that metam products are just as effective as they've always been. Nothing about the effectiveness of the product itself has changed. But when changes to application methods are engaged, using the Five Pillars as guidelines, measurable improvements in results can be possible. Every one of the Five Pillars matters more than people think, and we now have the data to prove it. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.