Augmentation of soil solarization effects by application of solar-heated water

Abstract

Combining solarization, using a plastic cover, with hot water treatment raised the temperature of the soil at 10 and 20 cm depths to 60 and 56°C, respectively for one hour, compared with a maximum temperature of 46°C achieved with solarization alone. In samples taken 40 days after planting tomato, the numbers of Meloidogyne javanica juveniles had decresead by 96% in the solarization plus hot water treatment and by 62% in solarization alone.