scholarly journals Response of Container-grown Apple Trees to Soil Compaction

HortScience ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.C. Ferree ◽  
J.G. Streeter ◽  
Y. Yuncong

Container-grown apple (Malus ×domestica Borkh.) trees were exposed to soil compaction created by changing soil bulk density (SBD) to determine the effect of compaction levels, rootstock, and moisture stress on mineral nutrition, leaf gas exchange, and foliar carbohydrate levels. With SBD of 1.0, 1.2, and 1.4 g·cm-3, there was no interaction of rootstock and soil compaction for growth of `Melrose' trees on nine rootstocks. Trees grown in a SBD of 1.2 g·cm-3 had a greater dry weight than trees at 1.4 g·cm-3 bulk density. Increasing SBD to 1.5 g·cm-3 reduced shoot length, total leaf area, leaf size, and dry weight of leaves, shoots, and roots. The interaction between rootstock and SBD was significant and total dry weight of `B.9', `G.16', `G.30', and `M.7 EMLA' was less influenced by 1.5 g·cm-3 soil than trees on `M.26 EMLA' and `MM.106 EMLA'. Withholding moisture for 10 days at the end of a 70-day experiment caused 8% to 25% reduction in growth in a non-compacted (1.0 g·cm-3) soil with much less effect in a compacted soil. Prior to imposing the moisture stress by withholding water, net photosynthesis (Pn) was reduced 13% and transpiration (E) 19% by increasing bulk density to 1.5 g·cm-3. Following 7 days of moisture stress in non-compacted soil, Pn and E were reduced 49% and 36%, respectively, with no such reductions in the compacted soil. Increasing SBD to 1.5 g·cm-3 caused a decrease in the leaf concentration of quinic acid, myoinositol, and sucrose and an increase in fructose and glucose. Trees growing in 1.5 g·cm-3 had reduced concentrations of N, Ca, Mg, Mn, Na, and Zn, and increased P, K, B, and Fe in leaves.

HortScience ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 1250-1254 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.C. Ferree ◽  
J.G. Streeter

Container-grown `Chambourcin' grapevines were exposed to soil compaction created by changing soil bulk density to determine the effect of levels of compaction, rootstocks and moisture stress on mineral nutrition, leaf gas exchange and foliar carbohydrate levels. Shoot growth, leaf area, number of inflorescences and leaf dry weight decreased linearly as soil bulk density increased with the effects being significant above 1.4 g·cm-3. The early season leaf area was reduced 40% in the second season, but later leaves were unaffected by a soil bulk density of 1.5 g·cm-3. Net photosynthesis (Pn) and transpiration (E) increased linearly with increasing soil bulk density the first year, but the second year a nonlinear pattern was observed with highest rates at 1.3 and 1.4 g·cm-3. Soil bulk density of 1.5 g·cm-3 reduced number of leaves, leaf area and shoot length and advanced bloom 16 days on `Chambourcin' vines on six rootstocks with no interaction of rootstock and soil compaction. Withholding water for 8 days reduced Pn and E in all treatments, with no effect on shoot length, leaf, stem and total dry weights. Moisture stress in the noncompacted soil caused a reduction in leaf concentration of fructose, glucose and myo-inositol, but moisture stress had no effect in the compacted soil. Moisture stress caused a reduction in sucrose in both compacted and noncompacted soil. Compacting soil to a bulk density of 1.5 g·cm-3 was associated with an increase in leaf N, Ca, Mg, Al, Fe, Mn, Na, and Zn and a decrease in P, K, B, and Mo.


HortScience ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 500A-500
Author(s):  
David C. Ferree

Container-grown apple trees on a range of rootstocks were exposed to different levels of soil compaction created by changing soil bulk density. In 1998, with soil bulk densities of 1.0, 1.2, and 1.4, there was no interaction of rootstock and soil compaction for shoot growth of `Melrose' trees on 7 rootstocks. However, in 1999, with soil bulk densities of 1.0 and 1.5, a significant interaction on shoot growth did occur with six rootstocks. Shoot length of trees on M.9, M.7, and G.30 were less influenced than G.16, M.26 and MM.106. A bulk density of 1. 5 caused a decrease in dry weight of shoots, leaves, and roots of trees on all rootstocks. Compacted soil resulted in a decrease in leaf concentration of K and B and an increase in Mg and Mn.


1997 ◽  
Vol 75 (5) ◽  
pp. 723-729 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao-Lin Li ◽  
Jun-Ling Zhang ◽  
Eckhard George ◽  
Horst Marschner

The influence of an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus, Glomus mosseae, on the adverse effects of soil compaction on growth and phosphorus (P) uptake of red clover was studied in a model experiment. The pots used in the experiment had three compartments, a central one with a soil bulk density of 1.3 g ∙ cm−3 and two outer compartments with three different levels of soil bulk density (1.3, 1.6, or 1.8 g ∙ cm−3). The soil in the outer compartments was fertilized with P and was either freely accessible to roots and hyphae, or separated by nets and accessible to hyphae only. At a soil bulk density of 1.3 g ∙ cm−3, mycorrhizal plants did not absorb more P than nonmycorrhizal plants except when access of roots to the outer compartments was restricted by nets. At high soil bulk density, root growth was drastically decreased. However, hyphae of G. mosseae absorbed P even from highly compacted soil, and induced a P-depletion zone of about 30 mm from the root surface. In consequence, at higher soil bulk density shoot P concentration and the total amount of P in the shoot were higher in mycorrhizal than in nonmycorrhizal plants. This experiment showed that hyphae of G. mosseae are more efficient in obtaining P from compacted soil than mycorrhizal or nonmycorrhizal roots of red clover. Key words: arbuscular mycorrhiza, phosphorus, red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), soil bulk density, soil compaction.


2011 ◽  
Vol 91 (6) ◽  
pp. 957-964 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Halde ◽  
A. M. Hammermeister ◽  
N. L. Mclean ◽  
K. T. Webb ◽  
R. C. Martin

Halde, C., Hammermeister, A. M., McLean, N. L., Webb, K. T. and Martin, R. C. 2011. Soil compaction under varying rest periods and levels of mechanical disturbance in a rotational grazing system. Can. J. Soil Sci. 91: 957–964. In Atlantic Canada, data are limited regarding the effect of grazing systems on soil compaction. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of intensive and extensive rotational pasture management treatments on soil bulk density, soil penetration resistance, forage productivity and litter accumulation. The study was conducted on a fine sandy loam pasture in Truro, Nova Scotia. Each of the eight paddocks was divided into three rotational pasture management treatments: intensive, semi-intensive and extensive. Mowing and clipping were more frequent in the intensive than in the semi-intensive treatment. In the extensive treatment, by virtue of grazing in alternate rotations, the rest period was doubled than that of the intensive and semi-intensive treatments. Both soil bulk density (0–5 cm) and penetration resistance (0–25.5 cm) were significantly higher in the intensive treatment than in the extensive treatment, for all seasons. Over winter, bulk density decreased significantly by 6.8 and 3.8% at 0–5 and 5–10 cm, respectively. A decrease ranging between 40.5 and 4.0% was observed for soil penetration resistance over winter, at 0–1.5 cm and 24.0–25.5 cm, respectively. The intensive and semi-intensive treatments produced significantly more available forage for grazers annually than the extensive treatment. Forage yields in late May to early June were negatively correlated with spring bulk density.


2011 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 194-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oscar Bustos ◽  
Andrew Egan

Abstract A study of soil compaction associated with four harvesting systems—a forwarder working with a mechanized harvester and a rubber-tired cable skidder, a farm tractor, and a bulldozer, each of them coupled with a chainsaw felling—was conducted in a group selection harvest of a mixed hardwood stand in Maine. The bulldozer system was associated with the highest percentage differences in soil bulk density measured in machine tracks (16.9%), trail centerlines (15.7%), and harvested group selection units (13.1%) versus adjacent untrafficked areas, whereas the forwarder system was associated with the lowest percentage differences in soil bulk density measured in machine tracks (3.5%), trail centerlines (1.2%), and harvested group selection units (6.3%) versus adjacent untrafficked areas. Results will help to inform loggers and foresters on equipment selection, harvest planning, and the conservation of forest soils and soil productivity.


2002 ◽  
Vol 82 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. H. Li ◽  
B. L. Ma ◽  
T. Q. Zhang

Soil compaction associated with inappropriate maneuvering of field equipment, and/or modern cropping system negatively affect soil physical properties, and thus, may limit microbial activities and biochemical processes, which are important to nutrient bioavailability. An experiment was carried out using the pot-culture technique to determine the effect of bulk density on soil microbial populations and enzyme activities in an Eutric Cambisol sandy loam soil (United Nations’ classification) planted with maize (Zea mays L.) in the Experimental Farm of Henan Agricultural University, Henan, China (34°49′N, 113°40′E). Numbers of bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes and the enzyme activities of invertase, polyphenol oxidase, catalase, urease, protease, and phosphatase were determined at various stages during the plant growing season. Microbial numbers were negatively and linearly related to soil bulk density. With increases in soil bulk density from 1.00 to 1.60 Mg m-3, total numbers of bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes declined by 26-39%. The strongest correlations between the soil microbial population and bulk density occurred at the plant growth stages of the 6 fully expanded leaf (V6) and anthesis (R1), with R2 > 0.90 (P< 0.01) for all three microorganism categories. Increasing soil bulk density was related quadratically to the activities of soil invertase and polyphenol oxidase, protease and catalase. It appears that the greatest activities of most soil enzymes occurred at a bulk density of 1.0 to 1.3 Mg m-3, which are optimum for most field crops. The plant growth stages also had an important impact on soil enzyme activities and microbial populations, with strong positive associations between soil microorganisms and enzyme activities with crop growth. Key words: Maize, soil enzymes, microbial population, soil compaction, bulk density, Zea mays


1988 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 120-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen G. Shetron ◽  
John A. Sturos ◽  
Eunice Padley ◽  
Carl Trettin

Abstract The change in wheel track surface soil bulk densities was determined after a mechanized thinning in a northern red oak stand. Mean bulk density values of the 0 to 5 cm surface of the wheel tracks immediately after felling, bunching, and skidding were: 0.80 g/cc on the high use areas; 0.77 g/cc on the low use areas; and 0.42 g/cc in the undisturbed areas. No significant differences in surface soil bulk densities were found between several loading treatments using a four-wheel drive articulated forwarder. The data indicate that initial passes of the equipment produce most of the disturbance. No significant recovery in wheel track soil bulk densities occurred during the year following harvest regardless of treatment. North. J. Appl. For. 5:120-123, June 1988.


2012 ◽  
Vol 88 (03) ◽  
pp. 306-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Kabzems

Declines in forest productivity have been linked to losses of organic matter and soil porosity. To assess how removal of organic matter and soil compaction affect short-term ecosystem dynamics, pre-treatment and year 1, 5 and 10 post-treatment soil properties and post-treatment plant community responses were examined in a boreal trembling aspen (Populus tremuloidesMichx.)-dominated ecosystem in northeastern British Columbia. The experiment used a completely randomized design with three levels of organic matter removal (tree stems only; stems and slash; stems, slash and forest floor) and three levels of soil compaction (none, intermediate [2-cm impression], heavy [5-cm impression]). Removal of the forest floor initially stimulated aspen regeneration and significantly reduced height growth of aspen (198 cm compared to 472–480 cm) as well as white spruce (Picea glauca [Moench] Voss) height (82 cm compared to 154–156 cm). The compaction treatments had no effect on aspen regeneration density. At Year 10, heights of both aspen and white spruce were negatively correlated with upper mineral soil bulk density and were lowest on forest floor + whole tree removal treatments. Recovery of soil properties was occurring in the 0 cm to 2 cm layer of mineral soil. Bulk density values for the 0 cm to 10 cm depth remained above 86% of the maximum bulk density for the site, a soil condition where reduced tree growth can be expected.


1979 ◽  
Vol 93 (3) ◽  
pp. 719-726 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Kar ◽  
S. B. Varade ◽  
B. P. Ghildyal

SUMMARYRoot growth of rice (Oryza saliva L.) is frequentlyinhibited by an adverse physical environment resulting from high moisture stress and strength of soilunder upland conditions, and the effects are often reflected in poor performance of the crop. This necessitates a critical understanding of rice root growth under varying soil physical conditions.The growth responses of the rice root system to the interaction between moisture regime and bulk density of soil as well as to the induced soil physical characteristics were assessed under controlled glasshouse conditions. Four moisture regimes: 0 (M1), 0–20 (M2), 0–350(M3), and 350–10000 (M4) mb, were superimposed on low, medium and high bulk density treatments in clay, loam and sandy loam soils. The soil physical environment was characterized by measurements of moisture distribution, penetrationenergy and oxygen diffusion rate in soils as functions of depth.A low moisture stress of 20 mb in low density soils favoured rice root growth. In low density soils, even though the number of roots at the base (proximal end) was maximum under M1, the depth of penetration, volume and dry weight of root were significantly more underM2 than under M1; M3 and M4. Irrespective of bulk density, even though oxygen diffusion rates in soils under M3 and M4 were greater than those under M1 and M2, the number of roots at the base, volume and dry weight of the root system decreased under M3 and M4 owing to low moisture content and high penetration energy in the surface layer (0–5 cm) of all the soil types. Lower moisture content and higher penetration energy at higher bulk densities of the soil types significantly reduced the root growth and especially the depth of penetration.


Soil Research ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 135 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Hamza ◽  
S. S. Al-Adawi ◽  
K. A. Al-Hinai

Reducing soil compaction is now an important issue in agriculture due to intensive use of farm machinery in different farm operations. This experiment was designed to study the influence of combinations of external load and soil water on soil compaction. Four soil water levels were combined with four external loads as follows: soil water—air-dry, 50% of field capacity, field capacity, and saturation; external load using different-sized tractors—no load (0 kg), small tractor (2638 kg), medium tractor (3912 kg), and large tractor (6964 kg). Soil bulk density, soil strength, and soil water infiltration rate were measured at 0–100, 100–200, and 200–300 mm soil depths. The 16 treatments were set up in a randomised block design with three replications. Combined increases in soil water and external load increased soil compaction, as indicated by increasing soil bulk density and soil strength and decreasing soil water infiltration rate. There was no significant interaction between soil water and external load for bulk density at all soil depths, but the interaction was significant for soil strength and infiltration rates at all soil depths. The ratio between the weight of the external load and the surface area of contact between the external load and the ground was important in determining the degree of surface soil compaction. Least compaction was produced by the medium tractor because it had the highest tyre/ground surface area contact. In general, the effects of soil water and external load on increasing soil bulk density and soil strength were greater in the topsoil than the subsoil.


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