Effect of soil solarization and fumigation in the control of Fusarium oxysporum and weeds in a greenhouse soil monocropped with tomatoes

Abstract

Soil solarization and methyl bromide fumigation were tested to control natural inoculum of Fusarium oxysporum Sch. in a greenhouse soil monocropped with tomatoes. (10; 20 and 30 cm). Their effect on weed control was also tested. The experiments were conducted in a plastic greenhouse in the Olmué locality, CHILE. Soil solarization was carried out for 40 days from January to February, 1995, by mulching the soil with a 0.04 mm, clear, polyethylene film and was compared with both an unmulched soil treatment and a Metabrome 980 fumigation (98% methyl bromide and 2% chloropicrine) at a rate 68 g a.i./m². The solarization effect on weeds was meassured based on biomass production. Soil temperature and moisture were recorded at the depths of 10; 20 and 30 cm. The rate of control of F. oxysporum in the solarized soil was 95.5; 88.2 and 85.7% at 10;20 and 30cm of soil depth respectively, while Metabrome 980, was 95.5;94.1 and 100% at the same depths. Weed population was kept down even 2 months after the solarization treatment. The máximum temperatures reached in the solarized soil were 45.2; 35.9 and 32,8 °C at 10; 20 and 30 cm depths, respectively.