Irrigation, organic matter addition, and tarping as methods of reducing emissions of methyl iodide from agricultural soil.

Methyl iodide (MeI) is increasingly being used as a highly effective alternative to the soil fumigant methyl bromide. Due to its volatile and toxic nature, MeI draws wide attention on its potential atmospheric emission following field fumigation treatment. Using soil columns that make it possible to determine emissions and gas phase distribution of soil fumigants, we studied MeI behavior in two soils differing in organic matter content. Additionally, the effectiveness of surface irrigation and tarping with virtually impermeable film (VIF) was assessed. In the lower organic matter, bare soil (control), emissions of MeI were rapid and high (83% of total). Although the peak emission flux was reduced by irrigation, the total loss was very similar to the control (82%). Tarping with VIF dramatically reduced emissions (0.04% total emissions). In the higher organic matter soil, degradation rate of MeI was increased around 4-fold, leading to a significant reduction in emissions (63% total emissions). The work sugg...