Solarization as an alternative to methyl bromide in Florida floriculture. Pp

Soil solarization is a promising alternative to methyl bromide (MB) that can offer a number of advantages over MB and other soil fumigants. Solarization uses an abundant natural energy source for pest management, avoids addition of chemical products to soils, has lower impact on beneficial soil organisms (Wang et al., 2006), and in one case was superior to MB when Pythium was introduced after the treatment period (Saha at al., 2005). Solarization has been used effectively for managing soilborne diseases and nematodes in ornamental crops such as impatiens and vinca (McGovern et al., 2002). More recently, it performed as well as MB and other chemical fumigants, particularly in early season suppression of weeds (McSorley et al., 2004). During 2005-06, a small-scale demonstration strip with solarization was set up on a commercial site in Hobe sound, FL. The solarized area was 10 ft wide x 100 ft long and covered with 1-mil clear plastic from 12 Aug. to 19 Sept. 2005. The remainder of the site was fumigated with 450 lbs/A of MB:chloropicrin (98:2). Delphinium was planted in the site in late November. Weed data wer