The development of alternative strategies for soil desinfestation with methyl bromide is necessary since the use of this compound faces increasing restrictions worldwide. Therefore the effect of soil solarization, followed by the application of isolates of Trichoderma spp. or fungicides, was evaluated for the control of Pythium aphanidermatum and Rhizoctonia solani, both can cause damping-off and root rots of several crops. Two experiments were carried out, one under greenhouse conditions and the other one under field conditions, both in a randomized block design, in factorial scheme (2x3), involving the combination of soil solarization (solarized and non-solarized soils) and the application of chemical or biological treatments, plus controls. Nylon bags containing soil naturally infested with P. aphanidermatum or soil with propagules of R. solani AG-4 were buried at 10 cm soil depth in plots solarized or non-solarized. After 30 days of solarization the bags were collected and the soil infested with P. aphanidermatum was treated with Trichoderma sp. (isolate IB-26) or with the fungicide metalaxyl + mancozeb, whereas the soil containing propagules of R. solani received an isolate of Trichoderma sp. (isolate IB-17) or the fungicide pencycuron. Fungicide suspensions were irrigated over the soil. A control was maintained for the soils infested with both pathogens. Viability of P. aphanidermatum and R. solani was evaluated by post-emergence damping-off of cucumber seedlings and by pre and post-emergence damping-off of radish seedling, respectively. Soil solarization, the biological treatment and the association of both treatments had no effect on the control of P. aphanidermatum, which was achieved only by the treatment with metalaxyl + mancozeb in the solarized and non-solarized soil. Soil solarization applied in both environments as well as the fungicide pencycuron were effective to control R. solani, but the association of both treatments did not have any synergistic effect. The treatment with the isolate of Trichoderma sp. IB-17 had no effect on R. solani, and was not favored by soil solarization.
biological control; chemical control; soil disinfestation