Soil management systems in orchard including growing grasses, use of herbicides, mulching and nitrogen fertilizers
2008
Dimza, I., Latvia State Inst. of Fruit-Growing, Dobele (Latvia) | Gross, A., Latvia State Inst. of Fruit-Growing, Dobele (Latvia) | Skrivele, M., Latvia State Inst. of Fruit-Growing, Dobele (Latvia) | Rubauskis, E., Latvia State Inst. of Fruit-Growing, Dobele (Latvia)
In a state farm in the vicinity of town Tukums, Latvia in the years 1979–1989 a four factor trial with apple cultivar 'Antonovka' on seedling rootstocks was carried out. The lay-out of the plots was split – split – split – plot design. There were several factors and their levels: first were soil management methods in the alleyway – tillage or growing perennial grass. The three remaining factors were applied to comparatively broad strips around the trees: mulching – none, peat, the mowed grass; simazine – 5 or 10 kg·haE-1 a.i.; nitrogen fertilizer – 0, 80, 160 kg·haE-1 N. All the combinations of these factors made up 36 treatments. Growing grasses in the alleyways, which were mowed only two times in a season slightly diminished the yield of apples and the vegetative growth of the trees. The detrimental effect of grasses was stated only in the on-years of alternative bearing apple trees. Besides, the negative effect of two times mowed grasses may be overcome by sufficient doses of nitrogen fertilizer and effective controlling weeds by herbicide. Consequently, in connection with these factors the number of mowing the grass in alleyways could be considerably reduced: even to two. This would be more economical than frequent mowing of grasses. Peat mulch had negative influence on growth and cropping of the trees. This was connected with adsorbtion and inactivation of simazine, consequently, with enhanced growth of weeds. This negative effect of peat mulch was greatly overcome by nitrogen fertilizer. Also the negative effect of peat mulch was less pronounced, when the soil in the alleyways was cultivated. Thin layer of mulch of mowed grass did not influence either the cropping, or growth of the trees. The simazine had improved the availability of nitrogen for fruit trees.
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