An Experiment was conducted in 2004 at King Abdulaziz University Agricultural
Experimental Station, in the Western region of Saudi Arabia to evaluate the effect of
soil solarization, by mulching the soil with transparent polyethylene sheets in
combination with three different green manure amendments by adding cabbage,
conocaes or neem leaves to soil prior to solarization on population densities of soil
fungi, weed growth and yield of two varieties of zucchini plants. The total number of
soil fungi was declined by 63% immediately after solarization then increased at the
end of the first and second season to 80% of the initial pre~solarization soil samples.
Soil amendment with conocarpus, neem or cabbage decreased the populations of soil
fungi by 40.1, 30.9 and 30.3%, respectively. Weed growth was declined by 92.5% in
solarized soils, and to a less extent by manure amendment that ranges from 26-40%
reduction. Yield of zucchini plants was increased by 13.4% in solarized soils as
compared to non—solarized soils. Amendment with green manure alone, however,
increased yield by 14.5-19.B%. More yield of zucchini plants and more control of
weeds was obtained in solarized amended soils than in solarized or amended soils
alone.