Main soil nutrients dynamics in sod-dressing intercropped orchard

Abstract

The study aimed to estimate seasonal dynamics of soil nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium under the influence of sod grasses in a sod-dressing intercropped orchard. The trial was conducted in a Welsey apple 1987-year orchard. Trees were planted at 8×6 m, cultivar seedlings used as rootstock. Red clover and meadow timothy in variant shares were used for interrow sodding. The cereal—legume intercropping was done in 2015, preceded by a 180 kg/ha active substance phosphorus-potassium dressing in reserve. Nitrogen was applied annually prior to growing season at 34.4 kg/ha active substance. Grass biomass in first hay cutting was the highest and comprised 45.3-49.9 % total mass. A total four cuttings dry mass was 3.36-7.10 t/ha depending on scheme. The maximum biomass was registered for the schemes with red clover and meadow timothy at ratios 1:1 and 7:3 (6.52 and 7.10 t/ha). In the growing period, grass depleted soil for 111.1—219.9 kg/ha nitrogen, 21.5-42.7 kg/ha phosphorus and 209.3—380.8 kg/ha potassium. Such consumptions suggest a serious competition for soil nutrients between grass vegetation and fruit trees. The available phosphorus and potassium content was independent of interrow dressing schemes. Inter-scheme differences did not exceed experimental bias due to presowing phosphorus and potassium application in reserve before trial. By first cutting, the nitrate nitrogen soil content in sodding schemes was 1.5-2-fold less vs. bare fallow, i.e. more nitrogen is used by vegetating grass, and its available forms recover slower than being consumed.