Effect of organic fertilization on soil fertility, tree nutritional status and nutrient removal of mature nectarine trees
2013
Toselli, M. | Baldi, E. | Marcolini, G. | Quartieri, M. | Sorrenti, G. | Marangoni, B. | Innocenti, A.
Composted municipal solid waste is a good source of nutrients for fruit trees, but its timing of mineralization and nutrient release is difficult to predict. The objectives of the present experiment were to evaluate the long-term effect (11 years) of organic fertilization on soil fertility, tree nutritional status and nutrient removal in a commercial orchard of nectarine ‘Stark RedGold’ (Prunus persica var. nectarine) grafted on GF677 peach × almond (P. persica × P. dulcis L.) hybrid. The experiment was carried out in 2011, near Ravenna, Italy with the following treatments, established since orchard plantation in 2001: 1) unfertilized control; 2) mineral fertilization (P and K at planting; N, up to 130 kg ha-1 year-1, split in May and September); 3) cow manure at 10 t dry weight (dw) ha-1 at planting and 5 t dw ha-1 yearly from the 4th year on; 4) compost (10 t dw ha-1 at planting and 5 t dw ha-1 yearly from the 4th year on); 5) compost (5 t dw ha-1 year-1) and 6) compost (10 t dw ha-1 year-1), with both 5) and 6) split as described for N in treatment 2. The compost was obtained from domestic organic wastes (50%) mixed with pruning material from urban ornamental trees (50%) after 3 months of aerobic stabilization. Nitrate-N soil concentration was increased by the application of compost at the highest rate only in June 2011. At harvest, fruit yield was greater with compost application at 10 t dw ha-1 year-1; fruit size increased with mineral and high rate compost fertilizations. Unlike thinned fruit, naturally abscised leaves and pruning wood from trees in plots with mineral fertilizer or compost (10 t dw ha-1 year-1) had greater biomass with higher N, Mg, Mn, Fe and Cu removal than other treatments. Yearly application of compost at 10 t ha-1 promoted tree growth and fruit yield similar to mineral fertilization, while not increasing the risk of nitrate leaching and pollution.
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