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Reduction of Landscape Pathogens in Florida by Soil Solarization

Two experiments were conducted during autumn 1997 and 1998 in west-central Florida to evaluate the effectiveness of soil solarization alone and in combination with the biological control agents Streptomyces lydicus (Actinovate) and Pseudomonas chlororaphis (syn. P. aureofasciens, AtEze) and the reduced-risk fungicide fludioxonil (Medallion) in managing soilborne pathogens of impatiens (Impatiens × wallerana, ‘Accent Burgundy’). Naturally infested soil was solarized for 47 or 48 days during September and October using two layers of 25-μm clear, low-density polyethylene mulch, separated by an air space of up to 7.5 cm. Solarization decreased the final incidence and progress of Rhizoctonia crown rot and blight, incidence of Pythium spp. in roots, and root discoloration, and increased shoot biomass in both experiments. The technique also consistently reduced root-knot severity and population densities of Meloidogyne incognita, Dolichodorus heterocephalus, Paratrichodorus minor, and Criconemella spp. The incidence of Rhizoctonia crown rot and blight was reduced by fludioxonil, but not by the biological control agents.