Effect of cover crops on soil physical properties, weed control and yield of white radish (Rhaphanus sativus L.) cv. Longipinatus

ABSTRACT: Going towards sustainable fruit culture, it is very important that soil fertility should maintain by adopting the proper weeds control and adding the organic matter. This research was carried out to identify the most suitable weed control method for Kinnow orchard. The plants of Kinnow at the age of 6 years grown under drip irrigation were selected. Weeds of orchard were managed by mulching (wood chip and black polyethylene), mechanical (cultivator and rotavator) and chemical (glyphosate) methods. Mechanical weed control was taken as control treatment. The plants where wood chip mulching was used for weed control showed maximum increase in shoot length (24.00 cm), chlorophyll contents (84.00 SPAD value) and yield (11.88 ton ha-1) followed by the plants where weeds were controlled with chemical control while lowest shoot length (12.00 and 12.33 cm), chlorophyll contents (41.00 and 42.67 SPAD value) and yield (3.80 and 4.70 ton) was achieved in cultivator and rotavator treatment respectively. Wood chip mulch also improved soil physical properties by reducing bulk density (1.49 Mg m-3), soil penetration resistance (785.33 kPa) and by enhancing soil organic matter (1.17%), hydraulic conductivity (34.50 mm/hr-1) and soil microbial biomass carbon (159.68 g kg-1) followed by glyphosate control while lowest values of soil physical properties were obtained in cultivator and rotavator weed control. Wood chip mulch also reduced weed dry weight (45.25 g) and efficiently controlled weeds (95.66%) as compared to other weed control methods. In this case, wood chip mulch performed better in all studied parameters than plastic mulch, rotavator, cultivator and glyphosate weed control. So, wood chip mulch should be recommended to citrus grower for improving soil physical properties and yield.

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Improving soil physical properties through the use of cover crops: A review

age ◽

10.1002/agg2.20105 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Samuel I. Haruna ◽

Stephen H. Anderson ◽

Ranjith P. Udawatta ◽

Clark J. Gantzer ◽

Nathan C. Phillips ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Properties ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Soil Physical Properties

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Organic farming and cover crops as an alternative to mineral fertilizers to improve soil physical properties

International Agrophysics ◽

10.1515/intag-2015-0056 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 29 (4) ◽

pp. 405-412 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Diego Sánchez de Cima ◽

Anne Luik ◽

Endla Reintam

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Physical Properties ◽

Crop Rotation ◽

Cover Crops ◽

Red Clover ◽

Soil Physical Properties ◽

Cattle Manure ◽

Mineral Fertilizers ◽

Organic Systems ◽

Tillage Operations

Abstract For testing how cover crops and different fertilization managements affect the soil physical properties in a plough based tillage system, a five-year crop rotation experiment (field pea, white potato, common barley undersown with red clover, red clover, and winter wheat) was set. The rotation was managed under four different farming systems: two conventional: with and without mineral fertilizers and two organic, both with winter cover crops (later ploughed and used as green manure) and one where cattle manure was added yearly. The measurements conducted were penetration resistance, soil water content, porosity, water permeability, and organic carbon. Yearly variations were linked to the number of tillage operations, and a cumulative effect of soil organic carbon in the soil as a result of the different fertilization amendments, organic or mineral. All the systems showed similar tendencies along the three years of study and differences were only found between the control and the other systems. Mineral fertilizers enhanced the overall physical soil conditions due to the higher yield in the system. In the organic systems, cover crops and cattle manure did not have a significant effect on soil physical properties in comparison with the conventional ones, which were kept bare during the winter period. The extra organic matter boosted the positive effect of crop rotation, but the higher number of tillage operations in both organic systems counteracted this effect to a greater or lesser extent.

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