Soil biosolarization for sustainable strawberry production

Abstract

Strawberry is a high value crop worth 315.6 million euros in 2013 in Spain. Strawberry diseases are commonly controlled by soil fumigation with toxic chemicals. However, since 2007, the methyl bromide fumigant is banned for strawberry cultivation. Moreover, European policies are progressively restricting the use of other toxic fumigants such as dichloropropene. Alternative control techniques are thus needed. Therefore, we have tested soil biosolarization, a new technique combining soil biofumigation and soil solarization, to cultivate the Camarosa strawberry in 2010-12 at Huelva in the southwestern coast of Spain. Soil was biofumigated by amendment of fresh chicken manure at 12,500 kg/ha with or without Trichoderma at 3.5 kg/ha; chicken manure at 25,000 kg/ha; Brassica juncea pellets at 2,000 kg/ha; sugar beet vinasse at 15,000 kg/ha; or dried olive pomace at 12,500 kg/ha. Soil was then solarized for 30 days by covering with a clear plastic mulch. A control that received fermented manure remained uncovered. Our results show that the highest yield averaging 70,543 kg/ha and the lowest percentage of 12.6 % of second-class fruits were obtained by amendment of fresh chicken manure. Yields were also similar to the higher yields previously reported for chemical fumigation with 1,3dichloropropene and chloropicrin. In addition, biosolarization is about 20 % cheaper than treatment with 1,3-dichloropropene and chloropicrin. Biosolarization with chicken manure is, therefore, a promising sustainable option for strawberry production.

Weed seed inactivation in soil mesocosms via biosolarization with mature compost and tomato processing waste amendments

“…Biosolarization research has explored the use of a number of organic matter amendments in the soil to control a variety of pests, including nematodes, fungi, bacteria and weeds. Soil amendments such as fresh sheep manure, Japanese radish residues, mixtures of sheep and chicken manure, Brassica crop residues and pellets , sugar beet vinasse and olive pomace, have been tested and reported to be effective for biosolarization . While these studies have provided information regarding the end result of biosolarization, less is known regarding biological, chemical and physical conditions in the soil during biosolarization and how they relate to pest inactivation kinetics during treatment.…”

‘Fontanilla’ Strawberry

“…During 2011 and 2012 crop seasons, 'Fontanilla' fruit production and quality were compared with those of three other well-adapted strawberry cultivars (Camarosa, Sabrosa, and Santaclara) in an experimental field located at Moguer (37°17#N) in the coastal area of Huelva (Spain). To reduce the presence of soil pathogens, soil was biofumigated and biosolarized (Domínguez et al, 2014) before planting. Chemical fumigants have never been applied to soil in this experimental field.…”

Fifty Years Since Silent Spring

“…Anaerobic soil disinfestation, also called biosolarization, involves addition of a carbon source, soil saturation, and then application of a plastic tarp in order to help generate higher temperatures, temporary anaerobiosis, and microbial production of fungitoxic compounds. Biosolarization of strawberry soil reduces pathogens and can result in strawberry yields similar to fumigated treatments but is not as effective for weed control as MB (34,44). Steam is as effective as fumigation but is currently very energy intensive (138).…”