Thermal behavior of soil subjected to different solar periods of in Falcón state

Abstract

Solarization is a technique used to control weeds and  soil  pathogens,  among  other  purposes.  In “La Trinidad” plot, located in Miranda municipality of the  State  Falcón,  Venezuela  (11°18’30.5’’N, 69°58’51.6’’W),   at   48   m.a.s.l.;   a   trial was conducted with the objective of studying the soil thermal behavior to a depth of 7.5 cm and under a polyethylene transparent plastic. The information related to the temperatures that reached the soil with different periods of solarization. The study was conducted with the purpose of implementing good agricultural practices, necessary in the community. An experimental design was used in completely randomized experimental units of 16.5 m2 blocks. The treatments were: control without plastic cover and soil solarized with a plastic cover for 15, 30 and 60 days. Simple linear correlation coefficients (CC) between the temperature data and treatments were determined. The results showed that in the morning there is a positive linear association with CC of 0.09 to 0.40 for temperatures and reported solarized days at 6:00 and 9:00 am, respectively. From 12 to 18 hours, the evaluated treatments showed a negative linear association, with a CC of -0.22 and -0.04. There was a direct relationship between the temperature of the air and those recorded in the soil. The temperatures more elevated of the soil to 7.5 cm of depth is reached at 14 hours, that is from 38.9; 32.5 and 32 °C, for the treatments T3, T4 and T2, respectively.