Evaluation of Non-Fumigant Alternative Soil Treatments for Strawberry Production in Huelva (Spain)

ABSTRACTSince 1997, our IFAPA working group has developed a series of projects to evaluate new chemical and non-chemical soil disinfestation practices. During 2013–14 non-chemical (biological) alternatives have been tested with the objective of improving the biosolarization techniques, using different carbon sources and doses of organic biofumigant products under different types of plastic tarp. Throughout the growing season, the greatest production for cv. Florida Fortuna (52,672 kg/ha, by the end of May) was obtained with biosolarization using dried olive pomace (12,500 kg/ha) and virtually impermeable film; whereas biosolarization with chicken manure at 25,000 kg/ha had the lowest fruit production (42,517 kg/ha) among biosolarization treatments. Biosolarization treatments significantly reduced soil populations of M. phaseolina and Fusarium spp., and effectively suppressed nematode infestation.