Abstract
The short-term responses of soil quality indicators are important for assessing the effects of new management practices and addressing threats to crop yields in greenhouses. The aim of this study was to assess, during three consecutive cropping seasons, the effect of a sustainable management package (CRTMP)—which includes the on-site reuse of greenhouse crop residues and tillage—in comparison with conventional management, based on fertigation only (CMP), on certain biochemical soil quality indicators and crop yields. CRTMP significantly increased (p < 0.05) the values of total organic carbon (TOC), particulate organic carbon (POC), light fraction (LF), water soluble organic carbon (WSOC), and dehydrogenase (DH) and β-glucosidase (GL) activities at a depth of 0–15 cm, as well as the mean concentration of nitrates in the soil solution. In addition, a significant Pearson’s correlation (p < 0.01) found between the indicators suggested a balanced improvement of soil biological activity and nutritional soil state. Nonetheless, the significant (p < 0.05) increases in the mean concentration of chlorides in the soil solution and electrical conductivity (p < 0.05) increased the risk of salinization, which may have affected the concentration of nitrates in the petiole sap and total production in CRTMP, which were significantly lower than in CMP. Nevertheless, the proportion of premium product was significantly higher in CRTMP, while the proportion of non-commercial production decreased.
Highlights
Greenhouse agriculture, based on production and profitability, is becoming widespread in the Mediterranean region, with an increasing socioeconomic impact [1]
The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a new management package—based on tillage, the use of crop residues and organic amendments with minimum inorganic fertilizer inputs—compared to a control with conventional management, during three consecutive cropping seasons, on the (i) short-term evolution of biochemical soil quality indicators, (ii) evolution of nitrate and chloride concentrations of the soil solution and (iii) crop yields in greenhouse systems
The results of this study showed that the application of CRTMP, in addition to improving soil quality indicators, increased the concentration of nitrates in the soil solution
Summary
Greenhouse agriculture, based on production and profitability, is becoming widespread in the Mediterranean region, with an increasing socioeconomic impact [1]. Conventional greenhouse management practices are characterized, in most cases, by the excessive use of agrochemicals and irrigation water [4,5], which, along with the absence of organic inputs or tillage, tends to make the soil lose quality in the long term [6,7,8,9] and has caused a series of environmental problems associated with nitrate leaching [10,11] or with the accumulation of a huge amount of crop residues at the end of the cropping season [12] These problems, coupled with the current situation of the instability of prices perceived by the farmers, which sometimes do not cover production costs [1], endanger the future sustainability of the system. For the correct management of intensive crops in greenhouses, more information regarding the evolution of different soil quality indicators during cultivation and their impact on the harvest is necessary, covering the existing scientific information deficit for this agrosystem, while providing useful and convincing information to stakeholders
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
