Effect of soil solarisation on survival of sclerotia and viability of antagonists under protected and natural cultivation

Abstract

Soil borne pathogens persist in soil and cause damage to variety of crops. None of the disease control technique available presently can bring the level of soil sanitation below critical threshold to reduce seed and seedling disease. Solarization appears to be of major use in protected cultivation, as once a disease has introduced in protected structures it is very difficult to manage it. The study conducted under different polyhouse conditions for 45 days revealed that the survival of the Sclerotinia sclerotiorum decreases with increase in depth. Minimum survival of 20 per cent was found in controlled condition. There was a significant reduction in the viability of Trichoderma harzianum and Pseudomonas fluorescence at 10cm depth in controlled, naturally ventilated and outside conditions as compared to non solarized soils. The maximum reduction was found in outside solarized soil followed by naturally ventilated and minimum reduction was found in controlled polyhouse conditions at 10 cm depth. While there was no significant change found in the viability of both at 20 cm depth in controlled polyhouse.