Soil solarization provides weed control for limited-resource and organic growers in warmer climates

Environmental constraints challenge the organic farmers and limited-resource growers of the San Joaquin Valley seeking pest management methods. Research on weeds and soil solarization at the UC Kearny Research and Extension Center and farms in the Valley determined that small-scale solarization reduced weed biomass in parsley crops from 94-99%. Solarization has also been demonstrated for the control of weeds in strawberries, and a less costly and toxic alternative to methyl bromide. Studies such as these provide guidelines for farmers interested in implementing solarization for weed control in specialty crops.