Abstract

In a three-year study carried out at the Debrecen-Pallagi nursery of the University of Debrecen, the nutrient contents, humus content and pH of the soil were determined in integrated and organic apple orchards established on brown forest soil with thin interstratified layers of colloid and sesquioxide accumulation. The organic orchard was only given organic manure (50 t/ha) in spring 2000 and 2002, while the integrated orchard was treated with 250 kg/ha complex NPK fertilizer (16.5-16.5-16.5) every year between 1997 and 2003 after the leaves had fallen. An additional 50 kg/ha N active agent as NH 4 NO 3 was applied every year, while 4 t/ha lime fertilizer (carbonation mud) was provided in autumn 2002 and 25 t/ha organic manure in November 2003. In 2004 no fertilizer was given to either orchard. The available forms of N (NO 3- , NH 4+ , organic N and total N) and P (ortho-, organic and total-PO 43- ) were determined after extraction with 0.01 M CaCl 2 , while the Ca, Mg and microelement (Mn, Cu, Zn) content of the soil was extracted with NH 4 -acetate +EDTA (Lakanen-Erviö extractant). Potassium was measured in both extractants. The results showed that the inorganic, organic and total soluble nitrogen in the soil were significantly higher (P = 0.05) in the integrated orchard than in the organic one. It was found that the quantity and ratio of the organic N fraction was comparable with that of the inorganic N forms. The ortho- phosphate and total P fractions were significantly higher (P = 0.05) in the integrated apple orchard than in the organic orchard, while there was no significant difference in the organic P quantity. The potassium data showed that both the integrated and organic orchards contained a satisfactory amount of adsorbed K in spite of the poor colloid content and high soil acidity. The Ca, Mg, Co and Zn contents of the integrated soils were significantly higher (P = 0.05) than in the organic orchard. For Mn, however, no substantial difference was found between the integrated and organic orchards. With the exception of Mn, the nutrient concentrations reflected the differences in the nutrient management of the integrated and organic apple orchards.

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