scholarly journals Estimating the Soil Hydraulic Functions of Some Olive Orchards: Soil Management Implications for Water Saving in Soils of Salento Peninsula (Southern Italy)

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirko Castellini ◽  
Anna Maria Stellacci ◽  
Marcello Mastrangelo ◽  
Francesco Caputo ◽  
Luisa Maria Manici
Keyword(s):  
Soil Texture ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Southern Italy ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
Soil Management ◽  
Field Capacity ◽  
Soil Tillage ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Relative Field ◽  
The Impact

Saving water resources in agriculture is a topic of current research in Mediterranean environments, and rational soil management can allow such purposes. The Beerkan Estimation of Soil Transfer parameters (BEST) procedure was applied in five olive orchards of Salento peninsula (southern Italy) to estimate the soil physical and hydraulic properties under alternative soil management (i.e., no-tillage (NT) and minimum tillage (MT)), and to quantify the impact of soil management on soil water conservation. Results highlighted the soundness of BEST predictions since they provided consistent results in terms of soil functions or capacitive-based soil indicators when (i) the entire data set was grouped by homogeneous classes of texture, bulk density, and capillarity of the soil, (ii) the predictions were compared with the corresponding water retention measures independently obtained in lab, and (iii) some correlations of literature were checked. BEST was applied to establish a comparison at Neviano (NE) and Sternatia (ST) sites. The two neighboring NT soils compared at NE showed substantial discrepancies in soil texture (i.e., sandy loam (NE-SL) or clay (NE-C)). This marked difference in soil texture could determine a worsening of the relative field capacity at the NE-SL site (relative field capacity, RFC < 0.6), as compared to NE-C where RFC was optimal. The current soil management determined a similar effect (RFC < 0.6) at Sternatia (ST-MT vs. ST-NT), but the worsening in soil properties, due to soil tillage, must be considered substantially transient, as progressive improvement is expected with the restoration of the soil structure. The results of this work suggest that strategic MT can be a viable solution to manage the soil of Salento olive orchards.

scholarly journals Earthworm Abundance Changes Depending on Soil Management Practices in Slovenian Vineyards

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1241
Author(s):  
Stanko Vršič ◽  
Marko Breznik ◽  
Borut Pulko ◽  
Jesús Rodrigo-Comino
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Soil Management ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Soil Tillage ◽  
Soil Biodiversity ◽  
Straw Mulch ◽  
Green Cover ◽  
The Impact

Earthworms are key indicators of soil quality and health in vineyards, but research that considers different soil management systems, especially in Slovenian viticultural areas is scarce. In this investigation, the impact of different soil management practices such as permanent green cover, the use of herbicides in row and inter-row areas, use of straw mulch, and shallow soil tillage compared to meadow control for earthworm abundance, were assessed. The biomass and abundance of earthworms (m2) and distribution in various soil layers were quantified for three years. Monitoring and a survey covering 22 May 2014 to 5 October 2016 in seven different sampling dates, along with a soil profile at the depth from 0 to 60 cm, were carried out. Our results showed that the lowest mean abundance and biomass of earthworms in all sampling periods were registered along the herbicide strip (within the rows). The highest abundance was found in the straw mulch and permanent green cover treatments (higher than in the control). On the plots where the herbicide was applied to the complete inter-row area, the abundance of the earthworm community decreased from the beginning to the end of the monitoring period. In contrast, shallow tillage showed a similar trend of declining earthworm abundance, which could indicate a deterioration of soil biodiversity conditions. We concluded that different soil management practices greatly affect the soil’s environmental conditions (temperature and humidity), especially in the upper soil layer (up to 15 cm deep), which affects the abundance of the earthworm community. Our results demonstrated that these practices need to be adapted to the climate and weather conditions, and also to human impacts.

The GREASE project: Sustainable cultivation of Greco grapevine - Resource use efficiency and application of the footprint family indicators

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Cirillo ◽  
Antonello Bonfante ◽  
Giovanna Battipaglia ◽  
Angelita Gambuti ◽  
Sheridan Lois Woo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Resource Use ◽  
Southern Italy ◽  
Soil Management ◽  
Selling Price ◽  
Campania Region ◽  
Rural Development Programme ◽  
Isotopic Analyses ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
The Impact

&lt;p&gt;Climate change is one of the main challenges for future agriculture since it can severely affect plant growth and development. The Mediterranean area is one of the most vulnerable regions where climatic models have forecasted a significant increase in frequency and severity of drought events. Ongoing climate change is aggravating some critical issues in the production of the autochthonous grape variety Greco, widely cultivated in the Campania Region (southern Italy) and used alone or blend in many quality label wines.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nowadays, there is a high risk for the economic sustainability of Greco cultivation due to the following main issues: reduced vine productivity, low selling price of grapes, and territory fragmentation. Such criticisms induce the abandonment of small/medium-sized farms due to either crop conversion or consolidation into larger farms.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Greco variety may represent a study model to introduce innovative and integrated management of cultivation techniques, such as pruning and soil management, with the aim to resolve similar problems affecting other autochthonous regional cultivars. They include issues, such as low fertility, that cause an unbalanced ratio among sugars, acids, and affect grape metabolites important for the oxidative stability and sensory quality of wine.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The GREASE project, funded by Campania Region within the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, falls within the framework of sustainable management of vineyards (from economic, environmental and social viewpoints) with an insight to climate change. The general objective to improve the potential production of Greco concerns the management of major cultivation practices in viticulture by the realization of a cultivar-specific model for vine canopy and soil management. Optimization of parameters is important in order to achieve a good vegetative and reproductive balance that enhances grape and wine quality, improves farm profitability and environmental sustainability. This project is conducted in a vineyard of Vitis vinifera L. subsp. vinifera &amp;#8216;Greco&amp;#8217; located in southern Italy (Feudi di San Gregorio farm).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The projects has 3 main inter-disciplinary actions: A1) to determine the effect of diverse vine pruning systems on plant resource use, through the reconstruction of vine eco-physiological history (dendro-anatomical and -isotopic analyses); A2-A3) to analyse the effect of soil management and of vine training systems on the continuum soil-plant-atmosphere system. Specific activities include: pedoclimatic, vegetative and reproductive, physiological and hydraulic characterization; microvinification and characterization of grapes and wine produced in the different trials; evaluation of resources use efficiency, pests, footprint family markers; model development.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The impact of the project on other wineries of the Campania Region will be significant due to an increased understanding of how cultivation systems influence the efficient use of available resources in the Greco vineyard. Such knowledge would be useful to design simple modifications to the presently used agronomical practices, to achieve production and economic gains without long-term structural investments. This know-how will also favour other downstream technologies and biotechnologies of viticulture and enology production, as well as the associated companies (e.g., producers of fertilizers, seeds for green manure) to realize products and services better adapted to the development of cultivar-specific viticultural and enological production systems.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals IMPACT OF AGRO-ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS ON SOIL EROSION PROCESSES AND SOIL PROPERTIES ON HILLY LANDSCAPE IN WESTERN LITHUANIA

2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gintaras JARAŠIŪNAS ◽  
Irena KINDERIENĖ
Keyword(s):  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Soil Ph ◽  
Soil Texture ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Available Phosphorus ◽  
Erosion Processes ◽  
Physico Chemical ◽  
The Impact

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of different land use systems on soil erosion rates, surface evolution processes and physico-chemical properties on a moraine hilly topography in Lithuania. The soil of the experimental site is Bathihypogleyi – Eutric Albeluvisols (abe–gld–w) whose texture is a sandy loam. After a 27-year use of different land conservation systems, three critical slope segments (slightly eroded, active erosion and accumulation) were formed. Soil physical properties of the soil texture and particle sizes distribution were examined. Chemical properties analysed for were soil ph, available phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (N). We estimated the variation in thickness of the soil Ap horizon and soil physico-chemical properties prone to a sustained erosion process. During the study period (2010–2012) water erosion occurred under the grain– grass and grass–grain crop rotations, at rates of 1.38 and 0.11 m3 ha–1 yr–1, respectively. Soil exhumed due to erosion from elevated positions accumulated in the slope bottom. As a result, topographic transfiguration of hills and changes in soil properties occurred. However, the accumulation segments of slopes had significantly higher silt/clay ratios and SOC content. In the active erosion segments a lighter soil texture and lower soil ph were recorded. Only long-term grassland completely stopped soil erosion effects; therefore geomorphologic change and degradation of hills was estimated there as minimal.

Studies on, the Topsoil of an Underground Coal-mining Project

1994 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 126-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nishit K. Kundu ◽  
Mrinal K. Ghose
Keyword(s):  
Coal Mining ◽  
Water Table ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Underground Mining ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
Field Capacity ◽  
Land Protection ◽  
Infiltration Rates ◽  
The Impact

The coal-mining industry plays a vital role towards meeting the energy demands of the people of India. Whether the mining is opencast or underground, however, it affects the environment and ecology of the region. Land is a non-renewable resource and is the main component damaged by mining. In India, exploitation of minerals was carried out in early days with virtually no regard for land protection. Underground mining causes subsidence of strata, mine fires, disturbance of the water-table, topographic disorder, and damage to the land-use pattern.A fact-finding survey was made at an underground coal project of Raniganj Coalfield in Eastern India, to assess the impact of mining on the topsoil, the study area being described. Generally the soils of the local agricultural land are brownish-grey and smooth while those of the ‘danga’ lands are yellowish brown with fine rock materials, the textural quality being, respectively, sandy loam and loamy sand. Field tests such as infiltration rate and field capacity were measured at all the sampling locations, and graphical representation of the infiltration rates are given.Infiltration rates of ‘danga’ land were found to be higher than those of agricultural land, due to their generally coarser texture. Field capacity of agricultural lands were found to range from 17.94 to 21.05%, and of ‘danga’ lands from 12.86 to 14.65%. Wilting coefficients were found to range from 5.31 to 6.75% for agricultural land and from 4.70 to 5.25% for ‘danga’ land. Bulk density, soil pH, conductivity, moisture content, and fertility status of the area, were also studied and the results discussed. Soils are deficient in nutrients. Kharif crops give an average yield of 5.05 quintals (each of 100 kg) per acre (0.405 ha) and Rabi crops only 4.88 quintals per acre. Underground mining activity will create land subsidence and disturb the water-table, finally having a negative impact on the topsoil of the area.

scholarly journals Determination of field capacity in the Chibunga and Guano rivers micro-basins

F1000Research ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 172
Author(s):  
Benito Mendoza ◽  
Manuel Fiallos ◽  
Sandra Iturralde ◽  
Patricio Santillán ◽  
Nelly Guananga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Conservation ◽  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Field Capacity ◽  
Curve Number ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Eucalyptus Forest ◽  
Impervious Areas ◽  
Maximum Retention

Background: The micro-basins of the Chibunga and Guano rivers are located within the sub-basin of the Chambo River, which starts at the thaw of the Chimborazo, crosses the cities of Guano and Riobamba, and ends in the Chambo River. These rivers are considered fluvial hydrological forces and geological limits of the aquifer, located in this sub-basin. For this reason, our investigation addressed the field capacity in the micro-basins of Chibunga and Guano rivers, to determine the maximum retention potential, i.e., the saturation of water in the soil. Methods: We investigated the change of precipitation to runoff through the correlations between the characteristics of the soil and its vegetation. We applied the Curve Number (CN) method introduced by the United States Soil Conservation Service (USSCS); this represents an empirical model, which relates the vegetation cover to the geological and topographic conditions of the soil. Along with the geographic information system, the model allows to represent the variation of runoffs for each micro-basin, according to the different land use categories, over the time frame from 2010 to 2014. Results: We found that the maximum retention potential is directly affected by CN values, representing the runoff potential. Highest values of 100 belong to the wetlands, urban area, snow, and water, as rain is converted directly into runoff, being impervious areas. The Guano river micro-basin possesses clay soil with CN of 78, the soil texture for eucalyptus forest is clay loam, and its CN value, 46, is the lowest of the data set. Knowledge of field capacity allows to properly evaluate the storage capacity of soil and water conservation. Conclusions: Results of this work will be useful in the quantification of the water balance, to determine the water supply and demand.

FIELD EVALUATION OF SOIL AND WHEAT RESPONSES TO COMBINED APPLICATION OF HARDWOOD BIOCHAR AND INORGANIC FERTILIZERS IN ACIDIC SANDY LOAM SOIL

2017 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 507-519 ◽  
Author(s):  
BANASHREE SARMA ◽  
NIRMALI GOGOI ◽  
MADHURI BHARALI ◽  
PRIYANKA MALI
Keyword(s):  
Soil Quality ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
Wheat Yield ◽  
Sandy Loam Soil ◽  
Soil Parameters ◽  
N Recovery ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Inorganic Fertilizers ◽  
Loam Soil ◽  
The Impact

SUMMARYBiochar application appears to be a promising method to improve soil physicochemical and biological properties by increasing soil carbon. Along with the influence of hardwood biochar on wheat growth, yield and soil quality for a period of two years, this study also evaluates the major soil parameters to be taken as minimum data set while assessing the impact of hardwood biochar in an acidic sandy loam soil. Five fertilizer treatments combining inorganic fertilizers and biochar were applied: unfertilized control (T1); 100% NPK (T2); 5 Mg ha−1 biochar (T3); 100% NPK + 5 Mg ha−1 biochar (T4); and 50% N + 100% PK + 5 Mg ha−1 biochar (T5). Biochar application (T3 vs. T1; T4 and T5 vs. T2) significantly increased leaf chlorophyll content, net photosynthesis rate, leaf N concentration and above and below-ground biomass, with improved wheat yield and grain quality (total grain protein and carbohydrate). Soil pH, water-holding capacity, available nutrients (N, P and K), organic carbon and its fractions also enhanced in biochar applied plots with reduced bulk density. Increased activities of soil enzymes urease, phosphatase, dehydrogenase, fluorescein di-acetate and arylsulphatase were recorded in biochar treatment along with significant increase in N recovery index (22%) and agronomic efficiency (40%). Multivariate analysis identified activity of phosphatase, pH and humic acid to fulvic acid ratio as the indicators to explain the total variance from biochar addition in acidic sandy loam soil under wheat cultivation. Soil quality index showed a significant improvement when biochar was added with reduced N doses (T5). This study confirms the efficacy of biochar as a soil conditioner when applied with reduced N fertilizer and would be a sustainable option to improve wheat production and soil quality in acidic sandy loam soils of northeast India.

scholarly journals Soil management system in hazelnut groves (Corylus sp.) versus the presence of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

2015 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariusz Nietupski ◽  
Agnieszka Kosewska ◽  
Bogumił Markuszewski ◽  
Wojciech Sądej
Keyword(s):  
Soil Management ◽  
Ground Beetles ◽  
Soil Tillage ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative Analysis ◽  
Polypropylene Fabric ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Tillage System ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Number Of Individuals ◽  
Made In

Abstract Sustaining biodiversity as well as taking advantage of the natural environment’s resistance are the key elements which should be considered when designing integrated plans for the protection of hazelnut groves. An effort has been made in this study to analyse the impact of different soil cultivation methods in hazelnut groves, on the species composition and number of individuals in carabid assemblages (Coleoptera: Carabidae). Another aim was to determine which method of inter-row soil management had the least negative effect on assemblages of these beetles. Because of the type of habitat, the xerothermic species characteristic for southeastern Europe, i.e. Calathus ambiguus, Poecilus lepidus, Harpalus calceatus, and H. griseus, were the most numerous. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of the captured individuals implied that the optimal soil tillage system in young hazelnut groves is when soil is kept fallow with machines or chemicals, or when soil is covered with manure. The least favourable practice for the appearance of ground beetles of the Carabidae family is the use of polypropylene fabric, bark or sawdust, to cover soil

scholarly journals Effect of Soil Management and Training System on Negroamaro Wine Aroma

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 454
Author(s):  
Antonio Coletta ◽  
Aline Theodoro Toci ◽  
Sandra Pati ◽  
Giuseppe Ferrara ◽  
Francesco Grieco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cover Crop ◽  
Soil Management ◽  
Training System ◽  
Aroma Compounds ◽  
Soil Tillage ◽  
Wine Aroma ◽  
Training Systems ◽  
Yield Parameters ◽  
The Impact ◽  
And Training

This study aimed to assess the impact of two soil managements and training systems on yield and wine aroma compounds of Negroamaro variety grown in a warm climate region (southern Italy). Cover crop (CC) and soil tillage (ST) as soil management, whilst bilateral Guyot (BG) and monolateral Guyot (MG) as training systems were compared. Free and bound volatile fractions were evaluated by GC-MS. ST and CC as well as BG and MG significantly affected yield parameters. In particular, yield was higher in ST and BG than in CC and MG, respectively; moreover, it was found to be positively influenced by interaction between BG and ST. Regarding aroma compounds, significant interactions between soil management and training system factors were observed. In case of free volatiles, the most positive interaction was found between BG and ST, whereas, for bound volatiles, the best interaction was represented by MG with both soil tillage and cover crop. Vine leaf area and development over vine growth stages along with water stress levels played an important role in determining the aroma profile as well as yield parameters. In conclusion, the training system significantly interacted with soil management and affected most of important aroma compounds in Negroamaro wine.

scholarly journals Organic matter amendments improve soil fertility in almond orchards of contrasting soil texture

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yocelyn B. Villa ◽  
Sat Darshan S. Khalsa ◽  
Rebecca Ryals ◽  
Roger A. Duncan ◽  
Patrick H. Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Soil Texture ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Loamy Sand ◽  
Inorganic N ◽  
Soil Inorganic N ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Soil Inorganic

AbstractThe effects of organic matter amendments (OMA) on soil fertility in permanent cropping systems like orchards is under-studied compared to annual cropping systems. We evaluated experimentally the impact of OMAs on soil fertility in almond (Prunus dulcis) orchards over a two-year period with annual applications. Two OMAs, derived from composted green waste (GWC) or composted manure wood chips (MWC), were applied as surface mulch and compared to a control at two sites with different soil textures (sandy loam and loamy sand). OMAs increased soil moisture content (0–0.1 m depth) at both sites by 27–37%. Both amendments increased soil inorganic N at the sandy loam (GWC: 194%; MWC: 114%) and loamy sand (GWC: 277%; MWC: 114%) sites the month following application, but soil inorganic N concentrations quickly decreased to values similar to those of control plots. After two-years, the GWC and the MWC amendments increased the soil cation exchange capacity (CEC) by 112% and 29%, respectively, in the sandy loam site, but no change was observed in the loamy sand site. The greatest increase in soil extractable K occurred in the GWC-amended plots at the sandy loam site even though the initial K concentration of MWC was higher. Both OMAs increased soil organic carbon (SOC) after two years, but the SOC increase in the GWC-amended plots was greater. Our results suggest that OMAs can significantly improve soil fertility after one or two annual applications, and that fertility gains appear to be dependent on soil texture than the nutrient concentrations of the OMA.

scholarly journals Geoaccumulation and Ecological Risk Indexes in Papaya Cultivation Due to the Presence of Trace Metals

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 301
Author(s):  
Isabel Araceli Amaro-Espejo ◽  
María del Refugio Castañeda-Chávez ◽  
Joaquín Murguía-González ◽  
Fabiola Lango-Reynoso ◽  
Karina Patricia Bañuelos-Hernández ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Soil Texture ◽  
Geoaccumulation Index ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
Risk Index ◽  
Soil Samples ◽  
Silt Loam ◽  
Clay Loam ◽  
Contamination Levels ◽  
The Impact

The aim of this research was to evaluate the impact of heavy metals on Maradol papaya cultivation soil, through the geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and the ecological potential risk index (RI). Soil samples from 15 locations in the Cotaxtla municipality of Veracruz, Mexico were tested for pH, soil texture, and concentrations of lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and organic matter (MO). The pH varied between values of 5.5 ± 0.10 and 7.7 ± 0.22, while the MO varied from 1.57% ± 0.97% to 13.1% ± 1.342%. The type of soil texture represented 48% sandy loam, 40% loam, 8% clay loam, and 4% silt-loam. For heavy metals, average levels were found in the following order Cr (0.695 ± 0.018) > Zn (0.615 ± 0.016) > Pb (0.323 ± 0.012) > Cu (0.983 ± 0.011) > Cd (0.196 ± 0.011) mg kg−1. The Igeo values from 96% of the analyzed sampling points were below zero and were considered uncontaminated. The other 4% of samples, from the Potrerillo1 (PT) site, had Igeo values of 1.13, where the highest concentration of Cd was found, which indicates moderate contamination levels. The RI index at the PT site was in the category of moderate contamination, and the rest of the points correspond to the category of low pollution.

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