Control of weeds by soil solarization and methyl bromide in San Pedro, Metropolitan Región, Chile

Abstract

Between January and February of 1995, the effect of soil solarization and fumigation with methyl bromide was assessed in order to compare their efficacy to control weeds. Soil fumigation was done with Metabromo 980 (98% of methyl bromide and 2% of chloropicrin), at rate of 70 g/m². Solarization was realized during 40 days, with transparent 40 um polyethylene film. The control treatment soil kept bare. The effects on weeds was measured by the method of biomass production, at. postsolarization and 30 and 60 days after the end of the trial. Soil temperature was measured at 10, 20 and 30 cm depth in solarized and bare soil, and soil humidity was measured at 10 cm depth. Methyl bromide and soil solarization produced an effective weed control until 2 months after the trial end. The maximum temperaturas of solarized soil were 45.7, 38.1 and 35.1 at 10,20 and 30 cm in depth respectively. Being higher than recorded in the non-solarized soil.