Archived
This content is available here for research, reference, and/or recordkeeping.
Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0734-8416
Date Available
11-1-2026
Year of Publication
2026
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
College
Agriculture, Food and Environment
Department/School/Program
Plant and Soil Sciences
Faculty
Rachel Rudolph
Faculty
Arthur Hunt
Abstract
The use of high tunnels (HTs) has increased over the past 15 years, with more than 1,700 and 700 structures currently in Kentucky and Tennessee, respectively. High tunnels are widely used to extend the growing season and protect specialty crops from adverse weather conditions. However, continuous production and limited crop rotation within HTs can lead to the accumulation of soilborne pathogens, plant-parasitic nematodes, arthropod pests, and weeds, ultimately reducing crop yield and quality. Management of these biotic issues is particularly challenging in HTs due to limited pesticide options compared to open field production. Soil solarization, a non-chemical method that uses transparent plastic tarps to trap solar radiation and elevate soil temperatures, can potentially manage these issues. Its effectiveness may vary depending on the target organism, duration of soil solarization, tunnel management, and season. When solarizing inside a closed high tunnel (side and end walls closed), soil temperatures are higher compared to solarization within an open tunnel (side and end walls open), but growers could not grow any crops inside a closed tunnel due to high temperatures. This two-year study evaluated the effects of different soil solarization durations on weeds, arthropod pests, soil temperature, soil nitrate, and crop yield, across open and closed HTs in Kentucky and Tennessee in different seasons. Soil solarization was conducted in spring, summer, and fall in 2024 and 2025 in open and closed HTs. Treatments included 2 weeks of soil solarization (Solar-2wk), 4 weeks of soil solarization (Solar-4wk), and a nonsolarized control (Nonsolar). Soil temperatures were highest during summer, followed by fall and spring, and were consistently higher in Tennessee than in Kentucky. Solarization treatments effectively reduced weed emergence and biomass, particularly during summer and in the closed tunnels compared to the Nonsolar and the open tunnels. Arthropod pest populations were generally lower in closed tunnels compared to open tunnels regardless of solarization treatment. Soil nitrate responses were mixed across locations and treatments. Lettuce yield was generally higher in solarized treatments and in closed HTs. Overall, these results indicate that soil solarization is a promising technique, particularly for weed suppression and improving lettuce yield. However, its effects on arthropod pests and soil nitrate are more variable and further studies should be considered. Soil solarization is a practical and cost-effective technique that can be a viable option for growers in HTs in Kentucky and Tennessee.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2026.218
Archival?
Archival
Funding Information
This study was supported by the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SSARE) (no.: LS23-384) in 2023.
Recommended Citation
Lessmann, Paula Luize, "SOIL SOLARIZATION AS A SUSTAINABLE APPROACH TO MANAGE WEEDS AND ARTHROPOD PESTS, AND ITS EFFECTS ON SOIL NITRATE AND LETTUCE (LACTUCA SATIVA L.) YIELD IN KENTUCKY AND TENNESSEE HIGH TUNNELS" (2026). Theses and Dissertations--Plant and Soil Sciences. 206.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/pss_etds/206
