Soil Solarization - An Ecofriendly Technology for weed and Pest control

摘要

Soil solarization is a useful non-chemical and eco-friendly tool that can be integrated into the pest management program, Various researchers have recommended soil solarization for weed control. The basic phenomenon helping weed control by soil solarization being the lethally high temperature build up in the soil. There are many locations in India experiencing extreme summers and in such places, soil solarization with transparent polyethylene sheet of 0 05 mm thickness for 30-45 days between March -May as an effective weed management technique can be followed. Hence, soil solarization seems to be the perfect answer to the age old problem of preventing weeds to certain extent as the dormant weed seeds require repeated manual interventions. The profitability of soil solarization should be viewed as an holistic approach in controlling weeds, diseases, insect pests, plant nutrient availability and enhanced crop yields and it is economical if cost : benefit ratio is assessed based on break even cost of solarizing material with 2-3 years longevity.