We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
CHANGES IN SELECTED SOIL PROPERTIES CAUSED BY LIVING MULCHES IN A PEAR ORCHARD.
- Authors
Zawieja, Janina; Sosna, Ireneusz; Gudarowska, Ewelina; Wojciechowski, Wiesław
- Abstract
The influence of living mulches on the physical properties of soil was estimated in the Research Station in Samotwór belonging to Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, in the pear experimental sector. One-year-old, weakly branched maiden trees were planted in the spring of 2006 in rows, in the spacing 3.5 × 1.2 m, which gave 2381 trees per 1 hectare. The experimental factor was the soil management in tree rows, by using of living mulches applied in the second year after planting. There were three variants of the factor: herbicide fallow (control object), white clover and colonial bent grass. The research was conducted in the vegetation period in 2013 and in the eighth year of the orchard cultivation and in seventh year of living mulches. The soil samples were taken from the area within the range of the tree crowns. The collected samples of soil were the basis for determining the following properties of the soil: bulk density, total porosity, capillary porosity, moistness and water reserve. Moreover, in the experiment the soil compaction and parameters of soil structure were determined. The method the soil management in the orchard significantly affected capillary porosity and the moistness of the soil in the rows of trees. The living mulches caused the increase of the value of capillary porosity, whereas the herbicide fallow considerably decreased it. In the vegetative season, green fallow with colonial bent grass, caused a significant decrease in the soil moistness, as compared to herbicide fallow. At the end of the vegetation period, living mulches protected the soil against excessive surface evaporation of water and kept water in soil. The greatest stability of soil structure, both in the fruit setting period and after the fruit harvest, was reported for the plot covered with white clover. Using living mulches in the rows of pear trees did not significantly affected the soil bulk density, compaction and total porosity, as compared to the herbicide fallow.
- Subjects
MULCHING; PEAR orchards; SOIL moisture; SOIL structure; SOIL compaction
- Publication
Zeszyty Naukowe Uniwersytetu Przyrodniczego we Wrocawiu: Rolnictwo, 2015, Issue 612, p79
- ISSN
0137-1959
- Publication type
Article