Although not often considered a pest management technique, flooding can effect soil-dwelling pests by altering the soil environment and controlled flooding can be used effectively in pest management (Glass 1975). The applicability of this tactic is limited by water availability and the potential for damage to the soil structure. The "muck" soils of Florida represent one area where water is not limiting and the soil is not damaged by flooding. Nearly 20% of this area is flooded annually to control wireworm and other pests for vegetable production (Pedigo 1996, Genung 1974). Soil flooding is also used in rice production to control plant-parasitic nematodes (Bridge and Page, 1982) and soilborne fungal pathogens.
Bridge, J., and Page, S. 1982. The rice root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne graminicola, on deep water rice (Oryza sativa subsp. indica). Revue de Nematologie 5: 225-232.
Genung, W.G. 1974. Flooding in Everglades soil pest management. Proc. Tall Timbers Conf. Ecol. Anim. Control by Habitat Manage., 6: 165-172.
Glass, E.H. 1975. Integrated pest management: Rationale, potential, needs and improvement. Entomological Society of America, Special Publication 75-2.
Pedigo, L.P. 1996. Entomology and pest management, 2nd edition. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.