The effect of soil solarization and fumigation on pests and yields in greenhouse tomatoes

The phasing out of methyl bromide as a fumigant has prompted a search for possible alternatives. Here, the relative efficacy of soil solarization and fumigation with chloropicrin and 1,3-dichloropropene (CP+1,3-D) was evaluated in greenhouse-grown tomatoes. Experiments were conducted over two seasons in southern Italy, aimed at evaluating the effects of soil treatment on soil-borne pest control, and the vegetative growth and fruit production of tomato. Solarization provided a better level of control over the major fungal pathogens (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and f. sp. radicis lycopersici, as well as Pyrenochaeta lycopersici) than CP+1,3-D fumigation. Solarization was also more effective in reducing the population of Meloidogyne spp. in the soil, and was particularly valuable for the suppression of the parasitic plant branched broomrape Phelipanche ramosa (syn. Orobanche ramosa). In both seasons, solarization was more beneficial than CP+1,3-D fumigation in terms of plant growth and crop productivity. In conclusion, solarization provided a good level of control over some important tomato pests and weeds, while at the same time improving the productivity in an environmentally friendly manner. It should therefore represent a viable alternative to methyl bromide fumigation for the greenhouse production of tomato.