California Farmers Test Steam Technology to Replace Chemical Fumigants

Strawberry farmer Rod Koda and researchers from the University of California, Santa Cruz, are testing steam-injection soil treatment as an alternative to chemical fumigants in Watsonville, California. In trials conducted last fall involving four growers, Koda reported that steam-treated organic plots nearly doubled their yield compared to untreated plots. The treatment reduced damage from fusarium wilt and extended the production period beyond the typical harvest end.

While steam technology has been used in greenhouses for decades, the University of California, Santa Cruz, and the startup High Degree are now adapting the process for open fields. The project focuses on increasing the speed and cost-effectiveness of the machinery to make large-scale application viable. Proponents suggest the technology could eventually be adapted for other high-yield crops, including lettuce and carrots.

The California Strawberry Commission is overseeing the search for fumigant alternatives, exploring steam alongside oxygen deprivation and the development of resistant plant varieties. Environmental advocates, including the Environmental Working Group, support the transition due to the health risks traditional chemical fumigants pose to local residents and farmworkers.