Soil solarization

Soil solarization

• A. Used to increase species of bacteria known to be natural enemies of soil-borne pathogens
• B. Used to reduce soil moisture
• C. Used to enrich soil with nutrients
• D. Used to promote weed growth

Answer: (A)

Soil solarization works by trapping solar heat in moist soil under clear plastic, raising temperatures enough to suppress or kill many soil-borne pathogens, nematodes, and weed seeds. This heat-altered environment also shifts the soil microbial community, and after the treatment, heat-tolerant beneficial bacteria that antagonize pathogens can become more prominent, helping keep diseases in check. So this approach can lead to an increase in bacteria that are natural enemies of soil-borne pathogens. The other potential outcomes—reducing soil moisture as the primary goal, enriching soil with nutrients, or promoting weed growth—do not describe what solarization is intended to accomplish, and in practice solarization reduces weed pressure rather than promotes it.

Soil solarization works by trapping solar heat in moist soil under clear plastic, raising temperatures enough to suppress or kill many soil-borne pathogens, nematodes, and weed seeds. This heat-altered environment also shifts the soil microbial community, and after the treatment, heat-tolerant beneficial bacteria that antagonize pathogens can become more prominent, helping keep diseases in check. So this approach can lead to an increase in bacteria that are natural enemies of soil-borne pathogens. The other potential outcomes—reducing soil moisture as the primary goal, enriching soil with nutrients, or promoting weed growth—do not describe what solarization is intended to accomplish, and in practice solarization reduces weed pressure rather than promotes it.