Methods

Soil fumigants are applied to agricultural fields to control soilborne pathogens and weeds. Plastic tarp (film) is usually used to reduce fumigant volatilization from soil. Several types of polyethylene tarps, virtually impermeable films (VIF), and semi-impermeable films (SIF) are being evaluated for their ability to reduce fumigant emissions. Quantifying fumigant mass transfer through plastic films is important for the development of practical management practices to reduce fumigant volatilization losses from agricultural fields. The objective of this study was to evaluate fumigant flux through commercial plastic tarps used in fumigated soils