Cultural practices for enhanced growth of young peach trees

1989 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. Glenn ◽  
W. V. Welker

AbstractA review of orchard soil management effects on tree growth and soil parameters is presented. It shows the gap between present common practices and results achievable in other systems. An alternative soil management system for newly planted peach trees, termed “killed-sod”, is described. This system has improved soil structure and rainfall infiltration and greatly increased early tree growth and yield. A fertilization study has demonstrated that the addition of a complete fertilizer in four different soil management systems could not account for the increased growth resulting from the improved soil environment in the killed-sod system.

1971 ◽  
Vol 11 (48) ◽  
pp. 105 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Baxter ◽  
BJ Newman

On two cultivars of young apple trees growing in a permanent pasture, a narrow strip was kept bare with herbicide sprays used either during spring and summer or during the entire year. This increased tree growth, fruit set, fruit yield, and fruit size. Using more nitrogen fertilizer did not compensate for the grass competition and did not increase growth or yield as much as did the herbicide sprays. Most of the applied nitrogen could be accounted for in the increased growth of grass. The herbicide simazine increased tree growth more than other herbicides.


1970 ◽  
Vol 10 (45) ◽  
pp. 467 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Baxter

The effects of keeping a strip along the tree row bare with herbicide sprays or mulched with weed-free straw were compared with either permanent pasture or cultivation. Peach trees growing in the straw mulched strips from their second year onwards grew bigger, made more growth, and produced twice as many fruit of larger size in their fourth and fifth seasons. Apple trees growing in a 1 1/2 metre wide mulched strip also made more total growth and yielded twice the weight of fruit in their fifth and sixth seasons than trees growing under cultivation. Mean fruit size of the apples from the mulched trees was larger, and the mulched apple trees carried more blossoms following a heavy crop than did the cultivated trees. Growth and fruit bearing of the peach and apple trees in the herbicide treated plots was intermediate between the control and mulch treatments.


1977 ◽  
Vol 17 (86) ◽  
pp. 510 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Baxter

Apple trees were planted into soil from which old apple trees had been removed. Experimental treatments consisted of pre-plant fumigation, annual application of fungicides to the soil and four kinds of soil management. Improved tree growth and increased yield were obtained with soil fumigation and from weed control and mulching. The economics of these operations is discussed.


1957 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 351-358 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. L. Stevenson ◽  
F. E. Chase

Respiration studies using aeration and manometric techniques have shown that maximum respiratory activity occurred in mulched soil, followed in descending order by sod and 'clean cultivation: buckwheat cover-crop' methods of soil management. Less effect was noted in cellulose decomposition studies, though the fact that the decomposition of added cellulose began with the shortest lag period in the mulched soil suggests that this treatment maintained cellulose decomposing organisms at the highest level. Enumeration of bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes at monthly intervals over a period of 15 months revealed only minor differences due to the mulch, sod, or clean cultivation treatments. Distinct seasonal fluctuations in numbers of bacteria and fungi were noted.


Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1036
Author(s):  
Sauro Simoni ◽  
Giovanni Caruso ◽  
Nadia Vignozzi ◽  
Riccardo Gucci ◽  
Giuseppe Valboa ◽  
...  

Edaphic arthropod communities provide valuable information about the prevailing status of soil quality to improve the functionality and long-term sustainability of soil management. The study aimed at evaluating the effect of plant and grass cover on the functional biodiversity and soil characteristics in a mature olive orchard (Olea europaea L.) managed for ten years by two conservation soil managements: natural grass cover (NC) and conservation tillage (CT). The trees under CT grew and yielded more than those under NC during the period of increasing yields (years 4–7) but not when they reached full production. Soil management did not affect the tree root density. Collecting samples underneath the canopy (UC) and in the inter-row space (IR), the edaphic environment was characterized by soil structure, hydrological properties, the concentration and storage of soil organic carbon pools and the distribution of microarthropod communities. The soil organic carbon pools (total and humified) were negatively affected by minimum tillage in IR, but not UC, without a loss in fruit and oil yield. The assemblages of microarthropods benefited, firstly, from the grass cover, secondly, from the canopy effect, and thirdly, from a soil structure ensuring a high air capacity and water storage. Feeding functional groups—hemiedaphic macrosaprophages, polyphages and predators—resulted in selecting the ecotonal microenvironment between the surface and edaphic habitat.


Author(s):  
Shin Woong Kim ◽  
Matthias C. Rillig

AbstractWe collated and synthesized previous studies that reported the impacts of microplastics on soil parameters. The data were classified and integrated to screen for the proportion of significant effects, then we suggest several directions to alleviate the current data limitation in future experiments. We compiled 106 datasets capturing significant effects, which were analyzed in detail. We found that polyethylene and pellets (or powders) were the most frequently used microplastic composition and shape for soil experiments. The significant effects mainly occurred in broad size ranges (0.1–1 mm) at test concentrations of 0.1%–10% based on soil dry weight. Polyvinyl chloride and film induced significant effects at lower concentrations compared to other compositions and shapes, respectively. We adopted a species sensitivity distribution (SSD) and soil property effect distribution (SPED) method using available data from soil biota, and for soil properties and enzymes deemed relevant for microplastic management. The predicted-no-effect-concentration (PNEC)-like values needed to protect 95% of soil biota and soil properties was estimated to be between 520 and 655 mg kg−1. This study was the first to screen microplastic levels with a view toward protecting the soil system. Our results should be regularly updated (e.g., quarterly) with additional data as they become available.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Luis Montero-Muñoz ◽  
Carmen Ureña ◽  
Diego Navarro ◽  
Valentín Herrera ◽  
Pilar Alonso-Rojo ◽  
...  

Abstract Aims We studied the regeneration dynamics of woodlands and abandoned old fields in a landscape dominated by Quercus suber in its lower limits of rainfall and temperature. Two hypotheses were established: (1) regeneration of Quercus species is strongly favored by the presence of tree cover; and (2) growth of Q. suber is driven by the climatic variables that represent the lower ecological limit of its leading distribution edge. Methods We selected woodlands and old fields with and without tree remnants (n = 3 per type), and analyzed stand structure, soil parameters and tree growth. Results Succession was arrested in old fields without tree remnants. By contrast, remnant trees were accelerators of forest recovery in old fields. Tree cover played a fundamental role in Quercus recruitment throughout seed dispersal and facilitation that mitigate the effects of summer drought on seedlings. Also, tree cover improved soil parameters (e.g., organic matter) that are important factors for understanding differences in regeneration. Winter/spring precipitation exerted a positive effect on tree growth, as well as temperatures during winter/spring and September. Conclusions Regeneration dynamics are modeled by the density of tree cover in the cold and dry edge of the distribution area of Q. suber where Q. ilex is increasing in abundance. Although temperature has a positive effect on the tree growth of Q. suber, when demographic processes are considered, decreases in water availability likely play a critical role in Q. ilex recruitment. This in turn changes dominance hierarchies, especially in abandoned areas with little or no tree cover.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-44
Author(s):  
Dinesh Khadka ◽  
Sushil Lamichhane ◽  
Amit P Timilsina ◽  
Bandhu R Baral ◽  
Kamal Sah ◽  
...  

Soil pit digging and their precise study is a decision making tool to assess history and future of soil management of a particular area. Thus, the present study was carried out to differentiate soil physico-chemical properties in the different layers of excavated pit of the National Maize Research Program, Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal. Eight pits were dug randomly from three blocks at a depth of 0 to 100 cm. The soil parameters were determined in-situ, and in laboratory for texture, pH, OM, N, P (as P2O5), K (as K2O), Ca, Mg, S, B, Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn of collected soils samples of different layers following standard analytical methods at Soil Science Division, Khumaltar. The result revealed that soil structure was sub-angular in majority of the layers, whereas bottom layer was single grained. The value and chrome of colour was increasing in order from surface to bottom in the majority pits. Similarly, the texture was sandy loam in majority layers of the pits. Moreover, four types of consistence (loose to firm) were observed. Furthermore, mottles and gravels were absent in the majority layers. Likewise, soil was very to moderately acidic in observed layers of majority pits, except bottom layer of agronomy block was slightly acidic. Regarding fertility parameters (OM, macro and micronutrients), some were increasing and vice-versa, while others were intermittent also. Therefore, a single layer is not dominant for particular soil physico-chemical parameters in the farm. In overall, surface layer is more fertile than rest of the layers in all the pits.     


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