Soil solarization is a non-chemical environmentally friendly method for controlling pests using solar power to increase the soil temperature to levels at which many soil-borne plant pathogens will be killed or greatly weakened.
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Soil solarization is used in warm climates on a relatively small scale in gardens and organic farms.
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Soil solarization weakens and kills fungi, bacteria, nematodes, and insect and mite pests along with weeds in the soil by mulching the soil and covering it with a tarp, usually with a transparent polyethylene cover to trap solar energy.
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Soil solarization is dependent upon time, temperature, and soil moisture.
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Soil solarization is a hydrothermal process of disinfecting the soil of pests, accomplished by solar power and is relatively a new soil disinfestation method, first described in extensive scientific detail by Katan in 1976.
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The mode of action for soil solarization is complex and involves the use of heat as a lethal agent for soil pests from the use of transparent polyethylene tarps.
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Soil solarization temperatures are lower when decreasing in soil depth and it is necessary to continue the mulching process to control for pathogens.
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Soil solarization allows for the recolonization of competitive beneficial microbes by creating a favorable environment conditions.
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The success of solarization is not only due to the decrease in soil pathogens, but to the increase in beneficial microbes such as Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Talaromyces flavus.
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Soil solarization has been shown to suppress soil pathogens and cause an increase in plant growth.
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Soil solarization is an important agricultural practice for ecologically friendly soil pathogen suppression.
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Soil solarization is the third approach for soil disinfestation; the two other main approaches, soil steaming and fumigation; were developed at the end of the 19th century.
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The idea of solarization was based on observations by extension workers and farmers in the hot Jordan Valley, who noticed the intensive heating of the polyethylene-mulched soil.
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The biological, chemical and physical changes that take in solarized soil during and after the solarization have been investigated, as well as the interaction of solarization with other methods of control.
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Studies of the improvement of Soil solarization by integrating it with other methods or by solarizing in closed glasshouses, or studies concerning commercial application by developing mulching machines were carried out.
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