The intense cultivation of agricultural crops challenges nature, since it has a negative impact on the biological equilibrium and strongly promotes the spread and growth of organisms harmful to plants. The culture of resistant high-yielding varieties alone does not solve the issue.
Therefore plant protection and pest control is essential in order to ensure high yields and guarantee the food supply of a steadily growing world population.
Thus soil plays a central role. Under extensive use soil is disabled to control pests though its balanced biological activities. In particular in green houses, soil is exposed to many different diseases which leads to an increased occurrence of wither and root sicknesses, nematodes and weeds.
Soil sterilization is a highly effective treatment method in the area of plant protection.
Two different methods are in use at present: The chemical and the physical/thermal treatment of soil.