
David M ButlerUniversity of Tennessee at Knoxville | UTK
David M Butler
Ph.D.
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86
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Introduction
Additional affiliations
July 2021 - present
July 2016 - July 2021
June 2010 - June 2016
Publications
Publications (86)
Growth chamber and field studies were conducted with organic amendment mixtures at C:N ratios 10:1, 20:1, 30:1 and 40:1, and amendment rates 2, 4, 6, and 8 mg C/g soil (C:N ratio 30:1) to evaluate anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) effects on germination and colonization of Sclerotium rolfsii. In the growth chamber, sclerotial germination was redu...
Studies on anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD), a non-chemical alternative to soil fumigants for controlling plant diseases caused by soilborne pathogens, have shown that ASD increases populations of beneficial microorganisms with activity against plant pathogens, including species of Trichoderma and Streptomyces, which are known to parasitize scle...
A meta-analysis of anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) efficacy against Fusarium oxysporum (Fo) and Fo f. sp. lycopersici (Fol) was conducted emphasizing effects of environment and organic amendment characteristics, and pot and field studies conducted on ASD amendment C:N ratio and soil temperature effects on Fol inoculum survival. In a pot study,...
Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) play a role in suppression of plant pathogens during anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD), but it is unclear how VFAs in anaerobic soil affect Athelia rolfsii (formerly Sclerotium rolfsii). Anaerobic growth chamber trials were conducted to evaluate effects of VFA and VFA concentration, and interactions with soil pH and so...
Non-toxic alternatives to chemical soil fumigants for suppressing soilborne pathogens such as Fusarium oxysporum (Fo), one causative agent of strawberry black root rot complex prevalent in the southeastern U.S., are urgently needed. A promising alternative is anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD), in which soil is amended with labile organic material...
Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) is a biologically-mediated, pre-plant soil treatment process that relies on the anaerobic decomposition of soil incorporated organic amendments, which leads to formation of pesticidal compounds in soils, including volatile fatty acids, and generally creates an adverse environment for soilborne plant pathogen surv...
Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch) in Tennessee is cultivated on plastic mulched beds annually, and production is limited primarily by multiple oomycete and fungal root rot pathogens that result in reduced vigor and black root rot disease symptoms. In early June 2018, plants (cv. Chandler) with reduced shoot vigor and size, and black, necrotic s...
Soybean irrigation experiments were conducted for five years (2013–2017) on silt loam soil in Jackson, TN, a sub-humid region with high and variable precipitation. The purpose of the experiment was to investigate managed depletion irrigation (MDI) regimes in soybean to obtain the highest yield with minimal water applied on high water-holding capaci...
Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) is a promising alternative to chemical fumigation for controlling soilborne plant pathogens and weeds. This study investigated the impact of brewer’s spent grain (BSG), a locally available carbon source, on various weed species and the oomycete pathogen Pythium irregulare in ASD. Two greenhouse studies were condu...
Globisporangium sylvaticum (syn. Pythium sylvaticum), is an oomycete that causes root rot and damping off of field crops, ornamentals, and vegetables. Several species in Pythiaceae are associated with black root rot of strawberry [(Fragaria × ananassa) Duchesne] (Millner 2006). Mature, stunted 'Chandler' strawberry plants, with reduced shoot vigor...
The insect-pathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Bb) colonizes several plant species as an endophyte. However, the diversity of plants colonized and the extent of colonization by this fungus have not been summarized comprehensively across all plant species. To fill this knowledge gap, a meta-analysis of published studies (years 2002–2018) on the pe...
Winter cover crops can improve the soil’s moisture-holding capacity, reduce soil water evaporation, and mitigate water-induced soil erosion; however, economic studies show mixed results on cover crop impacts on profits. One way to potentially increase the profits from planting cover crops is to harvest the cover crop for hay. The objective of this...
Dual-use cover crops as forage for livestock could offer ecological and economic benefits when incorporated into rotations with corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr) in the Mid-South USA; however, information on implementation and impact is limited. A factorial of sixteen cool-season species and a no-cover control by two management...
Limited work has been done to develop organic forage programs in humid subtropical regions despite growing demand for high‐value forage and organic products. Alternative crops were compared for optimizing forage production and nutritive value under organic conditions in the southeastern United States. The study was conducted at the Middle Tennessee...
Volatile fatty acids (VFAs), such as acetic and n -butyric acid, released during anaerobic decomposition of organic soil amendments during anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) likely play a role in soilborne plant pathogen inoculum suppression. However, research is limited on the direct effects of soil VFA exposure on fungal plant pathogen inoculum,...
Efficacy of anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) for soilborne plant pathogen suppression is strongly influenced by soil environment and organic amendment attributes. At the same time, these factors influence soil nutrient availability, crop nutrition, and crop performance, but published information on ASD amendment property effects, including carbo...
Beauveria bassiana is endophytic in many plant species and has been shown to protect host plants against insect pests and plant pathogens. However, less is known about its activity against plant-parasitic nematodes. In vitro and plant assays were conducted to determine the effect of B. bassiana 11-98 (Bb) on Meloidogyne incognita (root-knot nematod...
Context
With prevailing economic concerns facing the conventional dairy industry, organic production is a potential alternative for dairy producers as evidenced by a substantial number of operations pursuing organic markets in an effort to improve profitability. However, economic research is limited and the long-term economic sustainability of the...
The elemental composition of organisms belongs to a suite of functional traits that change during development in response to environmental conditions. However, associations between adaptive variations in developmental speed and elemental body composition are not well understood. We compared body mass, elemental body composition, food uptake and fat...
Greenhouse trials were conducted to evaluate the effect of several locally available carbon (C) sources on weed suppression using anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD). Carbon sources included rice bran, sorghum-sudangrass, cowpea, buckwheat, paper mulch, brewer`s spent grain, waste coffee grounds, and peanut shells applied at 4 mg of C/g of soil. Al...
HIGHLIGHTS
Captured rainwater supplied nearly all the irrigation required for high tunnels in Tennessee.
Solar pumping and/or gravity flow adequately supplied the pressure required for irrigation in high tunnels.
Rainwater harvesting costs need to be reduced in order to be more competitive with alternate water sources.
Abstract . High tunnels use...
The elemental composition of organisms relates to a suite of functional traits that change during development in response to environmental conditions. It may be a part of a phenomenon known as ‘developmental programming’, which hypothetically creates phenotypes that are better adapted to their environments. However, associations between development...
A three-year experiment evaluated the beneficial effects of independent and combined practices on thermal conditions inside high tunnels (HTs), and further investigated the temperature impacts on lettuce production. Specific practices included mulching (polyethylene and biodegradable plastic films, and vegetative), row covers, cover crops, and irri...
The elemental composition of organisms belongs to a suite of functional traits that may adaptively respond to fluctuating selection pressures. Life history theory predicts that predation risk and resource limitations impose selection pressures on organisms' developmental time and are further associated with variability in energetic and behavioral t...
Core Ideas
Comparing sources of N applied to grasses can help lead to decisions N application.
This information assists southeastern producers with guidelines on N fertilization.
With conventional N fertilizer increasing prices, it is important to explore different alternatives.
Alternatives to conventional N fertilization on tall fescue [Schedono...
Thermal energy conservation and heat management of the crop growth environment inside high tunnels (HTs) can provide high production efficiency and better yield with low operation cost, hence extending the growing seasons and increasing the sustainability of organic farming. This study assessed the beneficial effects of independent and combined pra...
Vetch produces a substantial amount of biomass which can choke out weeds, and is capable of fixing up to 60 kg/ha N, making it useful as a cover crop. Common vetch has much lower rates of hard seededness compared with hairy vetch, making it less problematic as a weed in succeeding cash crop plantings. However, its utility as a cover crop in the Mid...
Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) is a cultural technique primarily targeted for control of soilborne plant pathogens, but can also impact weed propagules. A repeated pot study was conducted to evaluate ASD treatment impact on sprouting and growth of introduced Cyperus esculentus (yellow nutsedge) tubers using dry molasses‐based and wheat bran‐ba...
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata Walp.) is a warm-season legume with many traits that make it an attractive forage or cover crop for organic systems. Eight cowpea cultivars were evaluated under organic management at two locations for stand establishment, forage yield and quality, and weed biomass. The experiment was arranged in a strip-plot design with tw...
Alternatives to soil fumigation are needed for soil-borne disease control. Our goal was to test anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) as an alternative to soil fumigation for control of critical soil-borne pathogens in California strawberry production. Controlled environment experiments were conducted at 25°C and 15°C testing different materials as c...
High tunnels (HTs) are used worldwide for greater crop sustainability and profitability, but producers are finding it difficult to control the trapped heat inside HTs. Clearly, proper ventilation management is crucial for obtaining marketable yield and quality, but the ability to predict HT ventilation based solely on external climate parameters is...
Two years of field trials conducted in a Meloidogyne incognita-infested field evaluated grafting and Paladin Pic-21 (dimethyl disulfide:chloropicrin [DMDS:Pic] 79:21) for root-knot nematode and weed control in tomato and melon. Tomato rootstocks evaluated were; 'TX301', 'Multifort', and 'Aloha'. 'Florida 47' was the scion and the nongrafted control...
Steam and soil solarization were investigated for control of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne arenaria in 2 yr of field trials on a commercial flower farm in Florida. The objective was to determine if preplant steam treatments in combination with solarization, or solarization alone effectively controlled nematodes compared to methyl bromide (MeBr...
Research is lacking on the impact of alternative reduced tillage (RT) systems on vegetable crop performance and soil quality, especially in organic production systems, where weed control cannot rely on synthetic herbicides. A 2-year field study was implemented in Aug. 2010 in Knoxville, TN, to evaluate cover crop–based systems for organic vegetable...
Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) is a proven but relatively new strategy to control soil borne pests of horticultural crops through anaerobic decomposition of organic soil amendments. The ASD technique has primarily been used to control soil borne pathogens; however, this technique has also shown potential to control plant parasitic nematodes an...
Factors such as temperature, habitat, larval density, food availability and food quality substantially affect organismal development. In addition, risk of predation has a complex impact on the behavioural and morphological life history responses of prey. Responses to predation risk seem to be mediated by physiological stress, which is an adaptation...
Drosophila body characteristics and negative geotaxis under spider predation
Data on dry body mass, lipid amount, nitrogen & carbon concentrations and climbing speed during negative geotaxis trials in Drosophila fruit flies (males, females) reared with spiders (predator identity) and in the control group (reared without predators).
Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD), an alternative to chemical fumigation, effectively kills sclerotia of Sclerotium rolfsii. However, its effect on the mycoparasite Trichoderma is not well- documented. We investigated the effect of ASD on Trichoderma population, and sclerotial germination and parasitism. Two mesh bags, each with 10 sclerotia, wer...
Recently, pathogenicity of Fusarium proliferatum was confirmed in legume crops (Arias et al. 2013; Chang et al. 2015); however, to our knowledge there is no record of F. proliferatum pathogenicity in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.). In this report, we confirm F. proliferatum as a causal agent of root rot, stem lesions, and abnormal seedling d...
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.), a widely-cultivated grain, vegetable, forage, and cover crop, is an important heat- and drought-tolerant nitrogen-fixing legume for organic and other low-input production systems in subtropical and tropical climates. In July 2014, 4-week-old cowpea plants (cv. Iron & Clay, a mixture of two formerly separate cu...
Interest is increasing in organic forage production and sod‐based rotations in the southeastern United States, but research‐based information is limited. A replicated field study was established to evaluate productivity and soil quality changes in five organically‐managed forage systems over 2 yr. Systems included four regionally‐adapted perennial...
Anaerobic soil disinfestation is a biologically based, preplant soil treatment that provides an alternative to chemical fumigation for soilborne pest and disease management. The method involves the incorporation of organic amendments that contain a labile carbon source, covering soil with clear or gas-impermeable polyethylene tarp, and irrigating u...
Commercial vegetable and ornamental crop production occurs in humid sub-tropical to tropical climates throughout the Florida peninsula. Historically, the majority of soil fumigants used in vegetable and fruit crops in Florida are applied to tomato, pepper, and strawberry, with cut flowers and caladiums accounting for significant fumigant use in orn...
Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) or biological soil disinfestation (BSD) is a process that involves incorporation of a labile carbon source into soil, covering soil with polyethylene film to limit oxygen exchange, and saturating the treated soil to allow it to become anaerobic. This method has been shown to control many plant pathogenic fungi, b...
Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD), a biological alternative to soil fumigation, has been shown to control a wide range of soil-borne pathogens and nematodes in numerous crop production systems across Japan, The Netherlands and the US. A brief review of the status to the science behind ASD and its application for commercial settings is discussed f...
Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD; also termed biological soil disinfestation) is a non-chemical process which includes 1) soil incorporation of a labile carbon (C) source, 2) mulching with polyethylene film to limit gas exchange, and 3) drip irrigation to saturation of the topsoil or bedded area. A number of putative mechanisms have been proposed...
Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD, aka biological soil disinfestation) has been studied in multiple countries for the suppression of plant pathogenic fungi and bacteria. Recent work in the US has included studies on weed control and nematode management with this technique. Multiple mechanisms have been shown to play a role in the suppression of so...
Background and Aims
Soil treatment by anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) combined with soil solarization can effectively control soilborne plant pathogens and plant-parasitic nematodes in specialty crop production systems. At the same time, research is limited on the impact of soil treatment by ASD + solarization on soil fertility, crop performanc...
Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) is a biologically based, non-fumigant, pre-plant soil treatment developed to control soilborne plant pathogens and plant-parasitic nematodes in specialty crop production systems. Soil treatment by ASD includes the incorporation of a labile carbon (C) source, tarping with plastic, and irrigation of the topsoil to...
Several cover crops with potential for use in tropical and subtropical regions were assessed for susceptibility to three common species of root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne arenaria, M. incognita, and M. javanica. Crops were selected based on potential use as organic amendments in anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) applications. Nematode juvenile (J...
Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) and steam are being investigated for controlling a broad spectrum of pests, including parasitic nematodes and weeds. ASD is a biologically-based method that combines organic amendments and solar heat with water saturated soil to create oxygen-depleted soil conditions that favor growth of facultative and obligate...
Bonnie H. Ownley, Erin N. Rosskopf, Mary E. Dee, David M. Butler
The spotted cucumber beetle, Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi, is a serious pest of field and vegetable crops. Adult beetles feed on leaves, stems, and fruit of melons, and may vector bacterial wilt disease caused by Erwinia tracheiphila. Spotted cucumber beetles are difficult to manage without the use of broad spectrum or systemic pesticides. Th...
The detrimental impacts of intensive soil tillage on soil quality are well documented. However, research is still lacking on the impact of alternative reduced-tillage systems on specialty crop yields and weed control in the Mid-South, USA. This is especially true in the case of organic specialty crop production systems, where weed control in reduce...
Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) is a non-chemical, pre-plant soil treatment developed to control soilborne plant pathogens, plant-parasitic nematodes, and weed populations in specialty crop production systems. Soil treatment by ASD involves the incorporation of a labile carbon source, tarping with plastic, and irrigation of the topsoil to satur...
Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD), a non-chemical alternative to methyl bromide (MB) fumigation developed in Japan and the Netherlands, can control soilborne pathogens and nematodes in strawberries and vegetables. To optimize ASD for California strawberries, field experiments were conducted in Watsonville and Salinas in 2009-10, and are being rep...
Non point-source pollution of fresh waters by agricultural phosphorus (P) can accelerate eutrophication of surface waters and limit their use for drinking, recreation, and industry. An important pathway of agricultural P transport is surface runoff, to which unincorporated dung from grazing cattle can be a significant contributor. Computer models c...
Background and aims
Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) has been shown to be an effective strategy for controlling soilborne plant pathogens and plant-parasitic nematodes in vegetable and other specialty crop production systems. Anaerobic soil disinfestation is based upon supplying labile carbon (C) to stimulate microbially-driven anaerobic soil co...
Attenuation of rainfall within the solum may help to move contaminants and nutrients into the soil to be better sequestered or utilized by crops. Surface application of phosphorus (P) amendments to grasslands may lead to elevated concentrations of P in surface runoff and eutrophication of surface waters. Aeration of grasslands has been proposed as...
Soilborne disease management without use of chemical fumigants is a major challenge in California strawberry production. Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) was developed in the Netherlands and Japan as an ecological alternative to methyl bromide fumigation. ASD involves incorporating an organic carbon source, irrigating to saturate the soil and th...
In order to better manage agricultural phosphorus (P), most states in the United States have adopted a "P indexing" approach that ranks fields according to potential P losses. In Georgia, the Georgia P Index was developed to estimate the risk of bioavailable P loss from agricultural land to surface waters, considering sources of P, transport mechan...
The goal of this project is to develop a non-fumigant based system, using steam heat, or a combination of steam with solarization to kill soil-borne pests in cut flower production in Florida. Specific objectives were: 1.) evaluate the efficacy of steam plus solarization for the control of soilborne pests; 2.) evaluate crop yield and quality resulti...