Improved solarization of containerized medium for the control of Monosporascus collapse in melon

Melon collapse caused by the heat-tolerant soil-borne fungus Monosporascus cannonballus is not controlled by current solarization technology applied to large soil volumes because the temperatures achieved are not high enough to kill the pathogen's ascospores. The efficacy of improved solarization achieved by mulching a shallow layer of growth medium in containers was studied in terms of disease control and yield increase over two growing seasons. Compared to solarization of a regular container, solarization of a shallow layer (5–6 cm) of growth medium resulted in a 3–5°C elevation in maximal temperature at a depth of 3 cm, and in a 7–10°C increases at the bottom of the shallow layer. This led to a higher disease reduction and higher yields in the 1996 experiment. In 1997, both methods of solarization were highly effective. Yield was highly correlated with disease reduction in both experiments. In the 1997 experiment, ascospore viability declined faster in the shallow container treatment than in the regular container. This study demonstrates the potential of an additional approach for improving solarization of containerized plant growth medium and improving its reliability, with the aim of controlling heat-tolerant pathogens.