**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THIS PROJECT IS AN INTEGRATED PROJECT CONSIDERING PULSE ELECTRICITY'S PERFORMANCE, SAFETY, AND COSTS AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO METHYL BROMIDE IN NURSERY SEEDLING BEDS. THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST LEADS TREE SEEDLING PRODUCTION IN THE US. TREE SEEDLING NURSERIES OFTEN RELY ON A COMBINATION OF FUMIGATION AND HAND WEEDING TO CONTROL SOIL PATHOGENS, NEMATODES, AND WEEDS. THIS PRACTICE IS UNSUSTAINABLE DUE TO INCREASED REGULATION, COSTS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY. THIS PROJECT WILL EXPLORE ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO SOIL FUMIGATION USING SOIL-APPLIED ENERGY PULSES TO CONTROL THE TARGET ORGANISMS OR A CONTINUOUS ELECTRICAL CURRENT TO HEAT THE SOIL, OHMIC HEATING. BOTH METHODS HAVE DOCUMENTED EFFICACY IN A BROAD-SPECTRUM ARRAY OF PESTS. HOWEVER, WHETHER DIRECT ENERGY OR OHMIC HEATING WILL BE MORE COST-EFFECTIVE FOR SOIL FUMIGATION IS UNCLEAR. THE VOLUME OF SOIL TREATED AND DEPTH OF TREATMENT APPLICATION ALSO AFFECTS EFFICACY AND COSTS. THE OPTIMUM VOLUME OF TREATED SOIL WILL DEPEND ON THE TARGET SPECIES TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE TOOLS. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS MUST BE PERFORMED TO DETERMINE IF EITHER OF THESE PRACTICES ARE COST-EFFECTIVE PEST MANAGEMENT TOOLS. A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY APPROACH USING STANDARD SCIENTIFIC METHODS WILL BE USED TO EVALUATE BOTH STRATEGIES IN COMMERCIAL FIELD STUDIES, AND FINDINGS WILL BE PUBLISHED TO HELP ADVANCE THE USE OF BOTH TECHNOLOGIES. THE GOAL IS TO IDENTIFY ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND ALTERNATIVES TO THE MANAGEMENT OF YIELD-LIMITING SOIL PESTS WITH ONE OR BOTH STRATEGIES AND TO REDUCE LABOR DEMAND AND PRODUCTION COSTS. THIS RESEARCH WILL SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL AND PRACTICAL SOIL DISINFESTATION ALTERNATIVE TO METHYL BROMIDE.