Effect of solarization on damping off diseases of vegetables
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Date
1992
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Department of Plant Pathology, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara
Abstract
The effect of solarization on damping off of chilies caused by Pythium aphanidermatum was studied at the college of Horticulture, Vellanikkara, Trichur during 1991-92. For solarizing, 150 guage transparent polyethylene sheets were used. Both nursery and mainfields were inoculated with the fungus prior to solarization.
Atmospheric temperature during the period of solarization ranged from 20°C to 38°C. The soil temperature in solarized plots was always higher (6°C-11.5°C) than the non solarized plots. Maximum soil temperature recorded at 10 cm depth i.n the solarized soil was 51°C while that in the non solarized soil was 42°C. Nursery beds were solarized for 15, 30 and 45 days while the main field was solarized for 35 days .
Solarization effectively reduced pre and post emergence damping off in the nursery. In the main field, solarization completely checked the disease. As the period of solari.zation increased, better control of the disease was observed. Neemcake amendment did not improve the disease control even with solarization.
The population of fungi, bacteria and actinomycetes were reduced as a result of solarization. The nematode population also was significantly reduced by solarization. Eventhough solarization substantially reduced weed population, its effect was more pronounced on dicots rather than monocots. Root colonization by VA Mycrrhizae was significantly better in solarized plots, compared to control.
Growth parameters like, plant height, number of leaves, .shoot and root weight were increased through solarization. Plants grown in solarized plots gave 230% more yield over those in the control plots. However, neemcake amendment didnot favour either plant growth or yield. Availability of plant nutrients like P,K, Ca, and Mg was found to be better in solarized plots. Increase in organic carbon content and EC was also noticed in solarized plots. However, total N content of the soil was not altered by solarization.
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