Besides its low cost, solar energy use in soil disinfestation presents no risks for human health and the environment. However, its effects on beneficial microorganisms are not well known. This study evaluated the effect of a solar collector and solarization on an indigenous population of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Inoculum potential of mycorrhizae, determined by the most probable number method, decreased, respectively, 93 and 99% when soil was treated during 30days by solarization and solar collector. Mycorrhizal colonization of maize plants, grown in soil treated during two days in the solar collector, was lower than 1%, and absent after nine days of treatment.
solar collector; solarization; microorganisms