California strawberries are not only in competition with strawberries from countries where methyl bromide will still be allowed, they are also in competition with other choices like bananas and pineapples. The problem is really that none of the chemicals being discussed now treat the soil as completely as methyl bromide, according to Frank Westerlund, director of research for the California Strawberry Commission. One of the biggest differences for most of the proposed alternatives is how far these chemicals will move through the soil by themselves. When methyl bromide is applied 12 inches deep in soil, it will penetrate another 1 to 2 feet on its own. There is also the possibility of a biological control alternative to be considered, according to Westerlund.
People talk about methyl bromide sterilizing the soil.
Microorganism populations are simply suppressed for a time and then return slowly rather than the soil being recolonized from the outside. This leads to the possibility that beneficial microorganisms could be injected into the soil to fill the ecological niche, preventing the buildup of damaging fungi and other microbes. That's an area we need to research under commercial conditions. How biologicals will fit into commercial operations is far from resolved, even in the research environment. Westerlund added one more point the California Strawberry Commission considers a major concern as the coming methyl bromide reductions increase the demand for alternatives.