SOIL DISINFESTATIONS IN THE BELGIAN HORTICULTURE – A PRACTICE VIEW

Due to a far-reaching mono-culture, a lot of soil sickness problems occur in Belgian intensive horticulture.
It’s for this reason soil disinfestations, for which several products are available, are regularly carried out.
Proceeding from the 27 years of practical experience of De Ceuster Soil Disinfestation an evaluation of these soil disinfestation products is being made on the basis of following criteria :

1. Killing efficiency as nematicide, herbicide, viricide, bactericide, insecticide and acaricide.

2. Fungicide action and ditto efficiency when used with integrated soil disinfestations.

3. Degree of rendability according to which a following crop is possible.

4. The ability to save useful or non-target organisms.

5. Their impact -whether proven or not- on the environment.

Methyl bromide, and especially the integrated soil disinfestation on the basis of methyl bromide, followed by the antagonists-inoculum ‘Anti-Fungus’ are in Belgium -in particular for horticulture in greenhouses- the most promising and best basis for a safe, ecologically sound and reliable start of cultivation.

When solving soil sickness problems, horticulture does not only have to pay attention to an efficient soil disinfestation but also to a supporting plant strengthening by way of a better root management.

IV International Symposium on Soil and Substrate Infestation and Disinfestation

H. De Ceuster, F. Pauwels

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1995.382.3