Soil Solarization: An Ecofriendly Technique to Eradicate Soil Fusaria Causing Wilt Disease in Guava (Psidium Guajava)

Abstract

ABSTRACT The objective of this experiment was to determine the effectiveness of soil solarization against two pathogenic soil fusaria, i.e. Fusarium solani and Fusarium oxysporum, causing wilt disease in guava. A thin polythene sheet was laid over moist soil surface for two hottest months of the year, i.e. May and June when proper sunlight prevails throughout the day. Treatment comprised in solarized and unsolarized plots (control) at different depths, i.e. 5, 10, and 15 cm on 10th 20th and 30th DOS. It was found that the population dynamics of both the pathogens were significantly reduced in solarized plots compared to unsolarized plots. Population of Fusarium solani at 5 cm depth in solarized plot was significantly reduced by 69.57% on 30th DOS followed by 58.22% and 57.08% on 20th and 10th day respectively at 54.4°C. whereas Population of Fusarium oxysporum at 5 cm depth was significantly reduced by 75.00% on 30th DOS in solarized plot followed by 63.83% and 49.25% on 20th and 10th day (P < .05) at 54.4°C. Significant improvement in reduction of Fusarium oxysporum propagules was found with the increase in duration and amount of heat compared to Fusarium solani. Present study suggests that temperature is a one of the considerable environmental factor that influences the microbial population in soil as the incubation period was increased.