A new biobased liquid formulation with biofumigant and fertilising properties for drip irrigation distribution

As an evolution of the solid materials for soil biofumigation, a new liquid product suitable for drip irrigation has been defined. A specific biotechnological formulation has been developed and patented to activate the potential biofumigant properties of defatted Brassica carinata seed meal. Through this process, sinigrin, the main glucosinolate contained in B. carinata, was almost completely hydrolysed to allyl isothiocyanate in about 30 min and released from the meal to the liquid fraction. The formulation was then suitable for distribution by drip irrigation after a simple filtration to remove the solid phase. The effect of this new formulation was tested in glasshouse conditions against the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, and on Folsomia candida, a non target soil dwelling microarthropod, observing statistically significant dose–effect correlations clearly linked to the release of allyl isothiocyanate.