Plant Health Management: Soil Solarization

Soil solarization is a method of soil-disinfestation based on its solar heating by mulching a soil with a transparent polyethylene during the hot season, thereby controlling soilborne pests. Pathogen and disease control are attributed to microbial, chemical, and physical processes in addition to the thermal killing. These occur in the soil during the solarization treatment and even after its termination. Frequently, a beneficial microbial shift is created in the solarized soil, resulting in soil suppressiveness. Soil solarization can be combined with other control measures for an integrated approach, thus improving its performance. The uses of soil solarization have expanded beyond soil disinfestation including structure disinfestation, sanitation, controlling human pathogens, and more.