Abstract
Almond (Prunus dulcis Mill. [D.A. Webb]) is the third most widely spread crop in Spain and has traditionally been cultivated in marginal areas and shallow soils under rainfed conditions. However, it recently has been progressively introduced in flat irrigated areas. The implementation of cover crops in the inter-rows of woody crops has been proven as a suitable strategy to reduce the runoff and soil erosion but they also can boost soil quality and health. A field experiment was conducted during two-monitoring seasons to examine the soil nitrogen and carbon sequestration potential of three seeded cover crops [barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), and a mixture of 65% barley and 35% vetch] and a control of spontaneous flora in irrigated almond orchards (SW Spain). Here, we show that barley provided the highest biomass amount, followed by mixture covers, vetch, and the control treatment. Also, vetch covered the soil faster in the growing stage, but its residues were decomposed easier than barley and mixture treatments during the decomposition period after mowing, providing less soil protection when the risk of water erosion with autumn rainfall is high. On the other hand, vetch improved soil nitrate content by over 35% with respect to barley and mixture treatments at 0–20 cm soil depth throughout the studied period. In addition, a greater carbon input to the soil was determined in the barley plot. That is, the mixture and barley cover crops had higher potential for carbon sequestration, augmenting the soil organic carbon by more than 1.0 Mg ha−1 during the study period. Thus, taking into consideration the findings of the present experiment, the establishment of a seeded cover crop would be more advisable than spontaneous flora to mitigate soil erosion, enhancing soil fertility and carbon sequestration in irrigated almond plantations in Mediterranean semi-arid regions.
Highlights
IntroductionThe effects of tillage accumulate progressively over the years and create soils that are considerably more susceptible to crusting and sealing, and provoke the progressive compaction of the soil, which implies a reduction in the infiltration and hydraulic conductivity of the soil and an increase in water erosion risk [10]
A field experiment was conducted during two-monitoring seasons to examine the soil nitrogen and carbon sequestration potential of three seeded cover crops [barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), and a mixture of 65% barley and 35% vetch] and a control of spontaneous flora in irrigated almond orchards (SW Spain)
Taking the previous findings and the importance of proper cover management for irrigated woody crops into consideration, the objective of this study was to compare the effect of different seeded cover crops [barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), and a mixture of 65% barley and 35% vetch] and a control of spontaneous flora on soil N and C sequestration potential in irrigated almond orchards in a semiarid Mediterranean environment
Summary
The effects of tillage accumulate progressively over the years and create soils that are considerably more susceptible to crusting and sealing, and provoke the progressive compaction of the soil, which implies a reduction in the infiltration and hydraulic conductivity of the soil and an increase in water erosion risk [10]. In this context, the implementation of sustainable soil conservation measures is vital to improve or maintain its productivity, especially in changing climate conditions [11]. There has been renewed interest in the last few years in cover cropping in irrigated orchard systems [17], as a strategy linked to sustainable agricultural intensification and as a response to climate change scenarios and natural resources preservation
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