Control of Cabbage Yellows (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans) by Solar Heating of Field Soils Amended with Dry Cabbage Residues. J. Ramirez-Villapudua, Professor, Universidad Autonoma de Sinaloa, Mexico. Donald E. Munnecke, Professor and Plant Pathologist Emeritus, Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside 92521. Plant Dis. 71:217-221. Accepted for publication 22 September 1986. Copyright 1987 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-71-0217.

Population counts of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans were greatly reduced and cabbage yellows was undetected in plots treated with solar heating of soils and cabbage amendments (1%, w/w). Dried cabbage was mixed in soil and covered with a translucent polyethylene tarp (solar heating) for 4 or 6 wk. Both solar heating alone and cabbage amendments plus cover under shade were effective but not as effective as the combination of solar heating and cabbage amendments. In contrast, cabbage amendments, not covered, either under shade or direct sunlight were ineffective. It is suggested that a tarp is necessary not only to increase the temperature of the soil to critical levels under solar heating but also to trap fungitoxic gases emanating from the cabbage amendments.