The evaluation of basal respiration and some chemical properties of soils under cover crop treatments in a cherry orchard

Effects of different cover crops (CCs), mechanical cultivation and herbicide treatments on some soil chemical properties [pH, EC, total N, available P, exchangeable cations (Ca, Mg, K, Na) and the DTPA-extractable micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu)] and basal soil respiration (BSR) were investigated in a cherry orchard from 2013 to 2014. The present study was conducted in a cherry orchard located at the Experiment Station of Black Sea Agricultural Research Institute in Samsun province on the Northern side of Turkey. CC treatments, included Trifolium repens L. (TR), Festuca rubra subsp. Rubra (FRR), Festuca arundinacea (FA), T. repens (40%)+F. rubra rubra (30%)+F. arundinacea (30%) mixture (TFF), Vicia villosa (VV) and Trifolium meneghinianum (TM). Control treatments included mechanical cultivated (weed-free), herbicide treated (weed-free) and control plots, i.e., bare ground plots (with no cover crop) were allowed to become weedy. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with four replicates. The CCs were mowed in the flowering stages of the plants. After 90 days following seed harvest, soil samples were collected from two depths (0-20 and 20-40 cm) in each plot. All cropping species showed positive effects on soil chemical properties and BSR. The CC treatments decreased soil pH and exchangeable Na and increased EC, total N, available P, exchangeable cations (Ca, Mg, K) and the DTPA-extractable micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Zn). Effects of mechanical cultivation and herbicide treatments on soil chemical properties and BSR values were not found significant for both soil depths as compared to control (p<0.01). Results of the study showed that CCs, especially TR and VV treatments as legume plants improved soil chemical properties and BSR values in short term period. However, longer term studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effects of these sustainable management practices which have the potential to improve soil quality variables are encouraged.