Weed management is one of the main challenges for organic agriculture. Soil solarization has been shown to be an effective mitigation strategy for weeds and soil borne plant pathogens but few studies have been conducted in cooler climates such as the Pacific Northwest.
Solarization could be an alternative to chemical controls for soil pathogens and weeds, and it may also influence plant growth factors. Biomass, shoot length, and AMF colonization were examined in red oak (Quercus rubra), Mazzard cherry (Prunus avium), and hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) at J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. nursery...
Infestations of container nursery beds by Phytophthora spp. can be persistent and costly. One method of disinfestation that does not require the use of chemicals is soil solarization, which captures energy from the sun to heat soil and thermally inactivate target pathogens. In laboratory temperature gradient experiments, I investigated the...
Soil solarization has been used throughout the world, but its effect on plant growth variables in ornamental tree saplings in the Willamette Valley are not well documented. Solarization could be an alternative to chemical controls for soil pathogens and weeds, and it may also influence plant growth factors. This study...