Tolerance of Some Imported Vegetables to Methyl Bromide Fumigation and Hot Water Treatments

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Abstract
Moroccan cipollini, Israeli or domestic cabbage, domestic celeriac and parsnips, and European, Japanese, and domestic horseradish showed a good margin of tolerance to methyl bromide fumigation well above usual quarantine schedules. Injury developed only after extreme schedules near 5 lb for 4 hours at 15-inch vacuum at 70°F for cipollini; 6 lb for 5 hours at normal atmospheric pressure (NAP) at 42°F for cabbage; 5 lb for 3 hours under 15-inch vacuum near 50°F for celeriac and parsnips; and 8 lb for 3 hours under 15-inch vacuum at 50°F for horseradish. The tolerance of cipollini appeared to be less at 26-inch vacuum and of parsnips greater at NAP. Cuban yams, Dioscorea spp., also showed good fumigation tolerance at warm, but were injured at cool temperatures. Their injury threshold appeared to be near 4.5 lb for 4 hours NAP at 87°F. Bromide residues were found to be near or well below the 50-ppm tolerance for cabbage and cipollini and 30 ppm for yams. No off-flavors were noted in any of the vegetables fumigated at quarantine schedules. Hot water dips of 118° for 30 minutes caused severe injury to parsnips and celeriac, but were well tolerated by horseradish roots. Preliminary insecticidal results with Baris lepidii Germar in horseradish are reported.

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