Treatment for Control of Soil Organisms

Abstract

Soil contains many harmful organisms. One of these is weed seeds, which, when germinated, compete with garden plants for space, sunlight, and nutrients. Such competition weakens plants, making them more susceptible to attack by insects and disease-causing organisms such as nematodes, bacteria, and fungi. Weeds cause further damage by providing a home for these insects and pathogens, which in turn cause poor growth, inferior quality, and low yield in garden plants. A severe infection may even kill the plant. One of the more effective ways to control these diseases and pests is to treat the soil by either physical or chemical means.