Soil Solarization: Theory and Practice summarizes and updates the vast amount of information on soil solarization made available in the 20 years since the previous book on this topic was published. It provides the reader with an updated and comprehensive view of the solarization concept and its application, including the disinfestation of soils of plant pathogens and pests, innovations in the implementation of integrated pest management practices, and the importance of these technologies in view of changes in the kinds and uses of soil fumigants. It also summarizes new post-plant treatments for controlling plant pests and pathogens and the technology of soil disinfestation in various cropping systems.
Soil solarization is a relatively new, nonchemical method of pest and pathogen control by soil disinfestation. It was the environmentally friendly, cost effective answer to the methyl bromide crisis and through this book everyone in agriculture can come to understand the benefits of the concept made possible through advances in plastic mulch technology. First described in 1976, it is based on solar heating and has been studied or adopted in more than 70 countries, as reflected by the more than 1,400 research papers describing its effectiveness in controlling a large variety of pests and pathogens in numerous crops. The book explains and demonstrates how the method actually triggers and induces chemical, physical, and biological changes beyond the elevation of soil temperature. It includes 28 chapters (in 6 sections) written by 42 authors who are intensively involved in the research and development on relevant topics, covering recent achievements with this method, as well as its future prospects.
In 1991, a book entitled Soil Solarization was published and detailed the progress made during the first 15 years of research and development of soil solarization. The current question was whether the progress made in soil solarization since 1991 justified the writing of a new book. The content of the current book answers that question with a resounding YES. It places soil solarization as an integral component of pest management programs in both its theoretical and practical aspects. This new title offers basic reference material, literature reviews, historical accounts, and even biographical segments, all packed with new information and research. Each of the six sections of this new book provides specific benefits to its readers. For example, sections on the fundamental basics and practical aspects of soil solarization support researchers and those practicing, and learning to practice, this technology. The book’s use of prediction modeling allows researchers and crop production experts to better predict and perform solarization under their own conditions. The description of basic approaches as well as application technologies for various soil disinfestation methods gives researchers tools for developing new disinfestations strategies. This book gives a global look at the practice, providing people in all parts of the world with information about how they can use solarization most effectively. It shows that today, soil solarization is being implemented in environments previously considered unavailable to its benefits. Many of the challenges of climate dependency have been overcome making the work of these scientists more adaptive and available to agriculturalists in new geographic regions. Soil Solarization: Theory and Practice is well suited for a variety of crops and agricultural expertise levels. Extension experts, policy makers in agriculture, and growers, as well as professionals employed at universities, private research organizations, and plant protection services, and even individuals involved in agriculture or agrochemistry will all come to rely on this book. It can also be helpful for those teaching students an introductory course of plant pathology, crop protection, and pest and disease management.
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