Effects of solarization on the biological and chemical properties of a substrate

Greenhouse experiments and productions require a high-level control of pests and diseases. Nowadays, society  demands to find sustainable alternatives to replace agrochemicals in food production. Solarization is one of the  most promising tools due to its low installation cost and control efficiency. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of solarization on a substrate for a greenhouse experiment in Córdoba, Argentina. At the INTA-Manfredi Agricultural Experimental Station, 12 m3 of substrate underwent the solarization process, being exposed to solar radiation for six months (December 2021-May 2022). In addition, substrate control remained in natural conditions. Soil functional groups using different growth culture media were measured to verify the solarization effect. The solarized substrate showed a reduction in proteolytic microorganisms (90 %), mesophiles (93 %) and fungi (100 %). The ammonifiers and biological nitrogen fixers microorganisms were reduced by 78 % compared to the control treatment, while yeasts and Bacillus spp. showed reductions up to 64 % and 69 %, respectively. Solarization achieved a 99 % reduction of weeds. The pH decreased by 1.9 % and the electrical conductivity (EC) increased by 5.91 % in the solarized substrate. The total dissolved solids increased by 169 % for the solarized substrate.