Solarization for nematode disinfestation of small volumes of soil

Several polyethylene plastics were evaluated as potential materials for disinfesting small volumes of soil containing nematodes. Bursaphelenchus seani, cultured on the fungus Monilinia fructicola in petri dishes, was used to bioassay the survival and reproductive capability of nematodes buried 7.5 cm deep in Margate fine sand (soil moisture = 4.9%). The soil was exposed to sunlight for 6 days in May 1987. The highest mean temperatures recorded at 7.5 cm deep were 38 +/- 1 C, 43 +/- 1 C, 43 +/- 1 C, and 50 +/- 1 C for the no plastic, clear plastic, black plastic, and clear + black plastic treatments, respectively. The temperature in the clear + black plastic treatment exceeded 47 C for more than 2 hours on clear days. Nematode survival averaged 98 +/- 3%, 78 +/- 22%, 38 +/- 38%, and 0 +/- 0%, whereas the reproductive success of B. seani following treatment was 100, 100, 75, and 0% for the no plastic, clear plastic, black plastic, and clear + black plastic treatments, respectively. Bursaphelenchus seani in petri dishes and Belonolaimus longicaudatus and Hoplolaimus galeatus in soil died when exposed to 48 +/- 2 C for 2 hours.