Soil solarisation a means of pest control in tea

摘要

Soil solarisation is the process of heating moist soil using solar radiation under transparent polyethylene mulch. When soil is subjected to solarisation, the soil temperature rises to (50 deg C) higher levels than those achieved by mere exposure ofsoil to the sun. Many of the soil organisms are sensitive to such high temperatures. More so are the parasitic organisms, seeds and seedlings of weeds. The proteins in the integument (skin) of such organisms like plant parasitic nematodes become denatured at temperatures above 30 deg C, leading to their death. Thermal sensitivity of free living and saprophytic nematodes is much higher and the temperatures achieved in soil solarisation do not affect them. Thus, soil solarisation eliminates the pest nematodes leaving the useful ones.