INTEGRATED CONTROL OF SOIL-BORNE PLANT PATHOGENS BY SOLAR HEATING AND ANTAGONISTIC MICROORGANISMS

Soil solarization under plastic tunnel was tested in combination with antagonistic Trichoderma harzianum and Fusarium spp. as seed inoculants during two series of experiments carried out in the Italian Riviera in 1991–1992. The application of polyethylene mulching alone allowed a significant control of Rhizoctonia solani on bean, Pythium ultimum on cucumber and Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. basilicum on basil.
The biological control agents were effective on bean, but not on cucumber or basil when sown in non-solarized soils.
The integration of solar heating and antagonistic microrganisms did not generally provide a significantly different level of control from solarization alone.
However, although not statistically significant, differences between such an integrated approach and the use of solarization alone were observed in the reduction of disease on the three crops during 1991 and 1992. The effectiveness of integrated control strategies which employ solar heating and biocontrol inoculants are briefly discussed with respect to marginally suitable conditions for solarization found in Southern Europe and to the possibility of reducing the mulching period.

IV International Symposium on Soil and Substrate Infestation and Disinfestation

A. Minuto, Q. Migheli, A. Garibaldi

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1995.382.14