Abstract
Budded, bare root, `Wichita' pecan trees were planted and grown in inexpensive, 2m X.75m, non-weighing lysimeters for three growing seasons. Metered water was applied automatically through microirrigation systems as called for by switching tensiometers. Soil moisture tension was not allowed to exceed 25 Kpa. All tree/sod combinations received 336 kg N per hectare from 1-1-1 ratio commercial fertilizer. Water use, tree growth, and nutrient status of trees grown under the following orchard floor management practices were measured: 1)Unmowed coastal bermudagrass. 2)Mechanically mowed bermudagrass, 3)Chemically mowed bermudagrass, and 4)Bare soil. Water use by trees with chemical or mechanically mowed sod were intermediate in water use between unmowed and fallow soil treatments. In spite of the fact that water was never limiting for any treatment, fallow trees grew significantly larger than trees in any of the sodded treatments. A significantly lower level of foliar potassium was noted in trees growing in sod systems.
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