Response of chive (Allium schoenoprasum) to AM fungal application following soil solarization under field conditions

Four field experiments were conducted to examine the effect of soil solarization and chemical Dazomet on chive production following arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) fungal application. The experiments were carried out in four different farm conditions and solarization treatment varied between four to eight weeks starting at different dates during the summer of 1999. Reduction in the indigenous AM population was evident in all sites following the solarization treatment and reduction in plant growth was observed at early stages of growth development up to the third harvest. Inoculation of chive with Glomus intraradices based inoculant reduced the incidents of growth retardation and resulted in plant growth suitable for export grade at the first and second harvests. A minimum of 2.5% (v/v) of inoculum is required to obtain this result. Mycorrhization significantly increased yield in four different chive cultivars in Dazomet treated and solarized soil. We suggest that the growth retardation effect induced by soil solarization and Dazomet pre-treatment to soil could be abolished by pre-colonizing chive plants with mycorrhiza before introducing into the field.