Soil Disinfestation Techniques in Agricultural Systems
Summary
Soil disinfestation encompasses a suite of strategies aimed at reducing populations of soil-borne pathogens, nematodes and weeds to safeguard crop health and yield. Conventional chemical fumigation has long relied on compounds such as methyl bromide, but mounting environmental and regulatory pressures have spurred the development of non-chemical alternatives. Soil solarization exploits solar radiation to raise soil temperatures beneath transparent films, lethally disrupting pest life cycles. In contrast, biological or reductive soil disinfestation entails the incorporation of organic carbon sources to induce anoxia and reducing conditions, under which facultative and obligate anaerobic microorganisms generate biocidal metabolites and reshape microbial communities. Recent work has centred on fine-tuning amendment types and rates, understanding the temporal dynamics of microbiome succession, and elucidating the modes of pathogen suppression—ranging from volatile organic compounds to pH shifts and metal ion release. These approaches offer residue-free, scalable solutions for diverse cropping systems worldwide, contributing to sustainable intensification and enhanced soil health.
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Soil Disinfestation Techniques in Agricultural Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in soil disinfestation techniques in agricultural systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Reductive soil disinfestation (RSD): A biologically driven process in which organic amendments create anaerobic, reducing soil conditions that suppress pathogens through microbial metabolism.
Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD): An alternative term for RSD emphasising the absence of oxygen and the role of microbial activity in disease control.
Soil solarization: A non-chemical method that elevates soil temperatures beneath transparent polyethylene films to inactivate pests and pathogens.
Carbon amendment: Organic substrates (e.g. molasses, crop residues, manure) incorporated into soil to fuel microbial processes essential for biological disinfestation.
References
- Facilitating effects of the reductive soil disinfestation process combined with Paenibacillus sp. amendment on soil health and physiological properties of Momordica charantia. Frontiers in Plant Science (2023).
- Integrating Cover Crops as a Source of Carbon for Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation. Agronomy (2020).
- Composted Chicken Manure for Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation Increased the Strawberry Yield and Shifted the Soil Microbial Communities. Sustainability (2020).
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