Solarization of commercial peat in transparent polyethylene bags and its effect on survival of some plant pathogenic fungi

Abstract EN

Two experiments were held to test the effect of solarization as a disinfestation non-chemical method of peat moss, a potential source of pathogenic fungal inocula.

Solarization took place in spring and summer, 2004, of transparent polyethylene bags filled with artificially infested sphagnum peat moss with Pythium aphanidermatum and Fusarium oxysporum.

Average daily maximum temperatures of solarized bags at five cm deep reached 51 and 54.

2ºC in the spring and summer experiments, an increase of 16.

8 and 16.9ºC, respectively, over temperatures of non solarized shaded bags.

In the summer experiment, all tested pathogens were completely eliminated within two days at both depths, surface at 0-7.

5 cm and inner layer of peat moss, 7.

5-15 cm.

In the spring experiment, however, F.

oxysporum survived solarization better than P.

aphanidermatum.

It took six and eight days to eliminate the former at the surface and inner layer of the peat moss bags, respectively.

The latter, on the other hand, took two and six days to be eliminated, respectively.

The number of both fungi was significantly not affected in the shaded bags with a fluctuation in the population.

Solarization of peat moss in clear plastic bags is a very efficient, economical, safe and easy method to eradicate plant pathogenic fungi even at cooler seasons.