Control of Sclerotium rolfsii and weeds in peanuts by solar heating of the soil

TL;DRAbstract

Mulching moistened soil with transparent polyethylene sheets, during the hot season, caused an increase in soil temp. which resulted in the control of weeds and soilborne diseases. This solar heating technique was tested in 2 field experiments during 1976-78, in soils naturally infested with S. rolfsii. Soils, mulched for 6 weeks during July-Aug., were sown with groundnut the next spring. This resulted in a significant decrease in the number of diseased plants, rotten pods and weeds, and an increase of 52.8 and 123.5% in the total yield and quality of the crops, respectively. Maintenance of high soil moisture under mulching, or using a drip system, or mulching after a single irrigation, produced similar results. Solar heating also reduced colonization of pods by Aspergillus spp.ADDITIONAL ABSTRACT:Mulching moistened soil with transparent polythene sheets so that solar heating raised soil temp. was tested for the control of weeds and soil-borne diseases in field trials in 1976-8 in soil

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