Control of Verticillium Wilt of Olive by Soil Solarization in Aegean Region

Abstract

A soil solarization experiment was carried out in a seven years old commercial olive orchard naturally infected with Verticillium dahliae in western Anatolia. Solarization was applied to individual trees for either one or two successive years. The maximum temperature was recorded in solarized soil were 42.9 and 44.4 ºC in the first and second year’s application respectively. Solarization slightly reduced the mean severity of wilting in both years without a statistical significance between treated and control trees. In one-year solarization, the percentage of recovery exceeded the natural recovery in control trees while double-solarization couldn’t supply a significant additive effect in improving the health of olive trees.