Effects of different forms of soil disinfection on soil physical properties and cucumber growth

Experiments were conducted to study the effects of three soil disinfection methods (ridge and furrow soil solarization with plastic film mulch, calcium cyanamid with stalk, dazomet fumigation) on soil physical properties and the growth of cucumber in greenhouse conditions. The results show that ridge and furrow solarization with plastic film mulch has no visible effect on soil physical properties. While the content of coarse silt decreases by 9.5% compared to CK, the contents of two diameter of sands (0.1~0.5 mm, 0.5~1.0 mm) increase by 39.4%, 117.7% respectively compared to CK. No significant changes are noted in the remaining components. The content of clay in soil treated with calcium cyanamid and stalk increases by 163%, the contents two diameter of fine silts (0.001~0.005 mm, 0.005~0.01 mm) increase by 52.1%, 116.8% respectively compared to CK. Clay content of soil treated by dazomet fumigation decreases by 65.8%, the contents of two diameter of fine silt in soil decrease by 33.0%, 32.2% respectively compared to CK. Different soil disinfection treatments exert different inhibitions on soil aggregation. Calcium cyanamid with stalk treatment is most effective, followed by dazomet fumigation treatment. Ridge and furrow soil solarzation with plastic film mulch is least effective. The three soil disinfection treatments increase average plant height, leaf number, chlorophyll content and yield of cucumber. Ridge and furrow soil solarization with plastic film mulch not only significantly increases the biological indices of cucumber, but also promotes cucumber yield.