Orchard Floor Management Research Articles

Weed Management in Apple Cv. Royal Delicious by Using Different Orchard Floor management Practices

ABSTRACT In this study, 19-year-old apple orchard at Arabal, Shalimar, Jammu and Kashmir, India, was selected during 2015 and 2016. Forty-five trees were treated with paddy straw mulch, paddy straw mulch followed by glyphosate @ 2.0 l ha−1, oxyflourfen @ 1.0 l ha−1, oxyflourfen @ 1.0 l ha−1 followed by glyphosate @ 2.0 l ha−1, atrazine @ 3.0 kg ha−1, atrazine @ 3.0 kg ha−1 followed by glyphosate @ 2.0 l ha−1, pendimethalin @ 2.0 l ha−1, pendimethalin @ 2.0 l ha−1 followed by glyphosate @ 2.0 l ha−1, bicolor polythene mulch, cowpea, white clover, clean cultivation, farmer practices, zero weeds and control. Three replications were maintained in a randomized complete block design. Minimum weeds (0.0) and weed control efficiency (100%) were recorded in zero weeds, bicolor polythene mulch and in paddy straw mulch followed by glyphosate. High levels of soil nutrients, large annual shoot extension (49.3 and 50.2 cm) and leaf area (77.83 and 78.57 cm−2) with maximum fruit yield (82.03 and 80.60 kg/tree) were recorded in paddy straw mulch followed by glyphosate during 2015 and 2016, respectively. Paddy straw mulch followed by glyphosate can be used for effective weed control with improved yield and growth characters of apple.

Orchard floor management strategy to maintain performance of apple trees in replant soils

Orchard floor management strategy to maintain performance of apple trees in replant soils

Appraisal of different floor management practices for weed management in ber (Zizyphus mauritiana Lamk.) orchards

Glyphosate was the commonly used herbicide in ber orchards in Punjab, India. This herbicide has been banned by State Government recently in the state. Therefore, there is a dire need to develop non- chemical approaches to check weeds in ber (Zizyphus mauritiana Lamk.) orchard. An experiment was conducted to study the influence of different orchard floor management practices on weed biomass, fruit yield and quality of ber at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (India). Different floor management practices, viz. mulching (rice straw, white polythene, black polythene), mechanical, glyphosate and weedy check were evaluated. Weed biomass recorded at monthly intervals from November to March under all floor management practices exhibited a significant reduction in weed growth as compared to the weedy check. White polythene mulch recorded higher weed growth with reduced weed biomass as compared to black polythene mulch due to the penetration of solar radiation leading to weed emergence and disintegration of white polythene sheet. The weed biomass in inter-cultivation and herbicide treatments was increased up to January, however, with second cultivation and herbicide spray, the growth of weeds under these treatments was checked up to February and again showed an increasing trend. Although, glyphosate suppressed the weeds and mechanical weeding reduced the weed density but the resurgence of weeds resulted in comparatively higher weed biomass, while, rice straw mulch exhibited promising results, with 87.1 and 91.2% reduction in total weed biomass during 1st and 2nd year, respectively. Application of rice straw mulch at 12.5 t/ha may help in weed management in ber orchards.

The effect of green cover within rows on the qualitative and quantitative fruit parameters of full-cropping apple trees

Increased tendency towards organic fruit production advances alternative methods in orchard floor management. The effect of differences of sowing year of the living mulch Festuca ovina L. within tree rows on selected quantitative and quality parameters of apple fruit was evaluated on the trees budded on three different rootstocks. Long-term observations of full cropping trees in the period from 2013 to 2016 revealed no significant differences in cropping efficiency coefficient among the analysed treatments. Sowing of blue fescue in the 2nd year after orchard establishment resulted in approximately 30% decreased mean annual yield compared to herbicide treatment. Crop loss was less pronounced in treatments in which blue fescue was sown several years since the trees planting. No significant differences in selected fruit quality parameters (soluble solids, starch index, colour parameters L* and h°) were detected among different treatments and rootstocks in growing season 2016. Analysed compounds were determined in fruits with the use of HPLC system. Total sugars and organic acids were not differed among treatments. Five phenolic groups were analysed in apple peel and pulp. No significant differences of secondary metabolites content were measured in apple pulp between living mulch treatments and herbicide fallow. The results are expected as plants usually react to stress with the production of phenolics in outer tissues. Consequently, higher levels of some phenolic groups were detected in apple in treatments, which included blue fescue sowing in the 4th or 5th year after tree planting on semi-dwarf P 60 and M.26 rootstocks—the combinations which also the best mitigated the negative influences of living mulch on the yielding level.

Effect of orchard floor management practices on growth, yield, leaf and soil nutrients in nectarine (Prunus persica)

The present investigation was carried out to assess the impact of different orchard floor management practices on growth, yield, leaf and soil nutrients in nectarine cv. Snow Queen. The maximum increase in annual shoot growth (65.05 cm), trunk girth (11.17%), tree height (13.25%), tree volume (41.10%), yield (59.59% was recorded under black polythene mulch. Maximum leaf area (31.40 cm2) and total chlorophyll (2.62 mg/g fresh weight) were observed under bicolour polythene mulch. Maximum leaf macro nutrient [N (2.73 %), P (0.22%), K (2.17%), Ca (1.90%), Mg (0.59%), soil nutrient [available N (355.92 kg/ha), P (40.74 kg/ha), K (367.78 kg/ha), exchangeable Ca (2.86 cmol (P+)/kg) and Mg (2.91 cmol (P+) /kg)] and soil organic carbon (2.09%) content were recorded under grass mulch. Black polythene mulch and bicolour polythene mulches are the best orchard floor management options for rainfed areas of Himachal Pradesh.

Organic orchard floor management impact on soil quality indicators: nutrient fluxes, microbial biomass and activity

Maintaining nutrient availability in organic orchards presents challenges. Diverse litter sources may increase nutrient cycling and the efficiency by which microbes utilize carbon (C). Two tree-row treatments: ‘straw-mulch’ (Triticum aestivum L.) and ‘living-mulch’ (Lobularia maritima (L.) Desv.), and two alleyway groundcovers: ‘grass’ (Festuca rubra with Lolium perenne L.) and a legume, ‘Birdsfoot trefoil’ (Lotus corniculatus L.) were compared to an industry standard, tillage with a grass alleyway. Tree-row deposited trefoil biomass contributed 0.2 kg additional total nitrogen (N) per tree annually. Soil from tree-rows with trefoil alleyways had 23% greater organic C (+ 3.1 g kg−1), 17% greater total N (+ 0.3 g kg−1), up to 53% greater microbial biomass (+ 204 mg CO2–C kg−1), 32, 34 and 31% greater dehydrogenase (+ 2.3 µg TPF g−1), alkaline (+ 55.9 µg p-nitrophenol g−1) and acid (+ 106.7 µg p-nitrophenol g−1) phosphomonoesterase enzyme activity, 62% greater soil NO3−N (+ 2.05 µg NO3−1 g−1), and 51% higher nitrification rates (+ 0.22 µg NO2−–N + NO3−–N g−1 soil h−1) than tree-row soils adjacent to grass alleyways. Straw-mulch and living-mulch soils did not differ. Metabolic CO2 quotient (qCO2) values were lowest in trefoil (0.0032) and living-mulch with grass treatments (0.0036), indicating greater microbial growth efficiency. Tillage and straw-mulch with grass alleyway treatments had the highest qCO2 (0.0053 and 0.0048) and the lowest microbial biomass (246.3 and 297.6 mg CO2–C kg−1 soil). Higher potential biochemical activity, and total C and N, suggests orchards with trefoil alleyways cut and deposited into tree-rows, enhances soil organic matter and promotes balanced nutrient cycling and retentive processes.

Plum Cultivar Evaluation on Myrobalan Rootstock in Lithuania

Abstract Twenty plum cultivars on Myrobalan (Prunus cerasifera Ehrh.) seedling rootstock were tested in 2012–2017 at the Institute of Horticulture of the Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry. Plum trees were spaced at 4.5 × 2.5 m and trained as spindles. Orchard floor management included frequent mowing of grass in the alleyways with herbicide strips along tree rows. ‘Duke of Edinburgh’, ‘Kijevas Vēlā’, ‘Dąbrowicka Prune’, ‘Čačanska Najbolje’, ‘and ‘Štaro Vengrinė’ cultivars were the most vigorous plum trees at the end of 6th year. Their trunk diameter achieved 92–96 mm. ‘Valor’, ‘Queen Victoria’, ‘Herman’, ‘Čačanska Najbolje’, ‘Favorita del Sultano’, ‘Ave’, and ‘Jubileum’ cultivars had the lowest trunk diameter — 72–78 mm. The highest cumulative yield of four fruiting years was recorded for ‘Kometa’ and ‘Violeta’ cultivars, respectively, 43.0 and 46.5 kg/tree. ‘Favorita del Sultano’, ‘Rausvė’, and ‘Kijevas Vēlā’ produced the largest fruits — 52–60 g. The smallest fruit occurred on ‘Dąbrowicka Prune’ and ‘Herman’ cultivars, respectively, 22 and 25 g. ‘Dąbrowicka Prune’ had the highest soluble solids content (SSC) — 19.5%. The least SSC was recorded in ‘Kometa’, ‘Violeta’ and ‘Herman’ fruits — 10.6–11.8%. ‘Renklod Rannij Doneckij’, ‘Čačanska Najbolje’, and ‘Valor’ cultivars had the highest fruit flesh firmness.

Response of orchard floor management treatments to soil hydrothermal regimes in nectarine

Being the second important stone fruit crop of Himachal Pradesh, nectarine still requires a great improvisation in floor management. Keeping this objective, a two year study was conducted with various orchard floor management practices on eight year old ‘Snow Queen’ nectarine trees during 2014 and 2015. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design, having seven treatments including control and replicated four times. Among all treatments soil hydrothermal regimes were maintained effectively under grass mulch and black polythene mulch. Grass mulch recorded maximum increase in annual shoot growth (148.25 cm), per cent increase in trunk girth (11.49%), per cent increase in tree height (14.46%) and per cent increase in tree volume (40.84%). Maximum fruit set (74.38%) and fruit yield (26.09 kg/tree) was recorded under nylon mulch mat while minimum fruit drop (16.37%) under grass mulch. Bicolour polythene mulch recorded fruit size (56.90 mm), fruit weight (100.97 g), fruit volume (102.94 cc), pulp to stone ratio (14.65), TSS (12.91 oBrix), total sugars (9.58%) and reducing sugars (4.10%) along with maximum proportion (82.25%) of “A” grade fruits.

Effects of orchard floor management on the peach rhizosphere

A preliminary study examining soil microbiology and nutrient dynamics in year three of a peach orchard at the Sandhills Research Station‎, North Carolina, USA found that maintaining a 3.6-m vegetation-free strip in the tree row reduced microbial biomass and associated activities in the soil, compared with a 0 m strip, and that the use of under tree micro-sprinkler irrigation increased peach root colonization by endomycorrhizal fungi as well as microbial biomass and associated activities. The current study was conducted in years four and five of that orchard and examined vegetation-free strip widths of 0, 1.2, 2.4, and 3.6 m, with and without irrigation, to determine their effects on endomycorrhizal fungal colonization of peach roots, soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), soil microbial respiration (SMR), and net nitrogen mineralization (NNM). There were no significant differences between treatments for endomycorrhizal fungal colonization or MBC by year four. The 3.6 m vegetation-free strip had the lowest MBN and SMR in year four with no significant difference between strip treatments in year five. NNM decreased with greater vegetation-free strip widths in years four and five. Irrigated plots had significantly higher MBN and lower SMR in the spring of year five with no other significant differences due to irrigation. These important findings show that under standard commercial management of a bearing peach orchard there is little impairment of soil ecological function in the rhizosphere, allowing for maximum peach yield and quality while supporting the health of trees and soil.

Effect of orchard floor management treatments on soil hydrothermal regimes under rainfed conditions of Himachal Pradesh in nectarine (Prunus persica var. nucipersica) cv. Snow Queen

The present investigation was carried out to study the effect of orchard floor management treatments on soil hydrothermal regimes under rainfed conditions of Himachal Pradesh in nectarine cv. Snow Queen during the years 2016 and 2017. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design replicated four times. The experiment consisted of seven treatments including control. Among these treatments, soil hydrothermal regimes were maintained effectively under black polythene mulch. Bicolour polythene mulch recorded maximum fruit size (length- 52.85, 57.27mm; breadth- 51.21, 55.04 mm), fruit weight (77.86, 89.41 mm), proportion of “A” grade fruits (62.15, 66.48 %), whereas maximum fruit yield (42.44, 54.63 kg/tree and 16.98, 21.85 tonne/ha) was recorded under black polythene mulch in 2016 and 2017, respectively. However, the minimum values of hydrothermal regimes, fruit size, fruit weight, proportion of “A” grade fruits and fruit yield were recorded under control during both the years of the study.

Growth and yield of plum trees in response to in-row orchard floor management

Research was conducted in 2009-2015 on Valjevka plum trees ( Prunus domestica L.) that were grafted onto Myrobalan seedlings ( Prunus cerasifera Ehrh. var. divaricata Ledeb.). Trees were planted in the spring of 2008. From 2009 the following methods of soil cultivation under tree canopies were introduced: spraying with foliar herbicides; mulching with organic waste, i.e. straw with compost; mechanical soil cultivation with the use of rotary cultivators and hoe; weed mowing. On the control plots with limited weeding, the weeds growing around tree trunks were pulled several times a year. From 2010 to 2015, highest total yield of plums was produced on plots weeded with herbicides and it was substantially higher than on the mulched plots. The method of soil cultivation had no influence on the area of cross-section of the tree trunks or the total soluble solids of the fruit, and the mean weight of the fruit was noticeably higher on the mowed plots than the control plots and plots cultivated mechanically. Strong trees of Valjevka plum grafted on cherry plum proved tolerant to weeds.

Soil quality and tree status in a twelve-year-old apple orchard under three mulch-based floor management systems

Interest in abandoning herbicide fallow as the standard in-the-row orchard floor management system continues unabated. Despite research efforts, available relevant data remain insufficient to formulate reliable recommendations for individual site conditions. A long-term experiment was therefore initiated in a temperate climate area in south-western Poland. ‘Ligol’ and ‘Pinova’ cultivar apple trees were planted in an unirrigated orchard in 2004, with treatment plot tree-rows mulched and control plots maintained with herbicide fallow. In 2016, black woven polypropylene fabric and Agrostis vulgaris With. and Festuca ovina L. living mulches were compared with the herbicide fallow in terms of their effect on soil properties, tree nutrient status and yields. While the living mulches had a positive influence on soil porosity, humus content and pH, there were substantial yield reductions; arguably due to competition for water. It is therefore important that more intensive methods of understory vegetation suppression are explored and more competition-resilient rootstocks sought to counteract yield loss. The polypropylene cover was primarily associated with a decreased leaf K:Ca+Mg ratio. A synthetic mulch is a viable choice for certain rain-fed orchards.

Relationship between orchard soil management practices, fruit drop and economic aspects in Kinnow mandarin

The study comprised of eight orchard floor management practices viz., rotavation, disc harrowing andchemical method of weed control singly and their combinations on Kinnow mandarin. Determinations were made to compare effectiveness of the management practices in terms of fruit set, fruit drop, fruit harvest, fruit weight, yield, expenditure incurred and economic aspects. The data indicated that all the growth parameters responded significantly to management practices. The results indicated superiority of mowing over conventionalorchard floor management practices giving higher yield and economic returns per unit area. The maximumyield (112.39 kg/plant) was found in T8 (mowing of weeds) with 6.64 per cent fruit set and 612 fruits per plant. The cost of intercultural operations in this treatment came out to be Rs 1, 200/-and net income Rs. 1, 59, 884/-.

Effects of Floor Vegetation and Fertility Management on Weed Biomass and Diversity in Organic Peach Orchards

Treerow vegetation abundance and biodiversity were measured in response to six orchard floor management strategies in organic peach in northern Utah for three growing seasons. A total of 32 weed species were observed in the treerow; the most common were field bindweed, dandelion, perennial grasses (e.g., red fescue and ryegrass), clovers, and prickly lettuce. Weed biomass was two to five times greater in unmanaged (living mulch) than in manipulated treatments. Tillage greatly reduced weeds for approximately one month; however, vegetation rebounded midseason. Tillage selected for species adapted to disturbance, such as common purslane and field bindweed. Straw mulch provided equivalent weed suppression to tillage in the early season. Straw required annual reapplication with material costs, labor, and weed-seed contamination (e.g., volunteer grains and quackgrass) as disadvantages. Plastic fabric mulch reduced weeds the most, but had high initial costs and required seasonal maintenance. Weed biomass declined within seasons and across the three years of the study, likely due to tree canopy shading. Neither birdsfoot trefoil nor a perennial grass mixture planted in the alleyways influenced treerow weeds. Our results demonstrate several viable alternatives to tillage for weed management in treerows of organic peach orchards in the Intermountain West.

Effect of different orchard management practices on the growth and production of rejuvenated of pomegranates (Punica granatum L.) cv. Kandhari Kabuli

Orchard management practices are the most important cultural tools for successful and sustainable cultivation of any fruit crop including pomegranate. Orchard management systems have an effect on growth, yield and fruit quality through their smoothening effects on the availability of nutrients, conservation of moisture and reduction of weed competition. Orchard management practices treatments viz., five orchard floor management treatments viz., T1: Grass mulch (10 cm thick), T2: Black polythene mulch, T3: Clean basin + Herbicidal treatment (Glyphosate 7ml/ litre), T4: Ridge basin + Grass mulch and T5: Control (No mulching). The results of the experiment, black several that polythene mulch proved to be most effective in increasing plant growth (51.80 cm), yield (13.05 kg/plant) of superior fruits and also in conservation of soil moisture. Grass mulch was better when compared to other orchard floor man-agement practices in terms of growth (47.00 cm) and yield (12.35 kg). The orders of the orchard floor management practices in moisture conservation are: black polythene mulch 13.51 %> grass mulch 12.38 % > ridge basin + grass mulch 9.31% > clean basin + Herbicidal treatment (Glyphosate 7 ml/litre) 9.20 %> control 7.64 %. Orchard floor management treatments did not exert any significant effect in controlling bacterial blight disease on leaf and fruit surface.

Weed management in guava orchards

The comparative efficacy of orchard soil management practices like mulching (paddy straw, white polythene, black polythene) and weed control methods (mechanical and chemical) were evaluated for managing weeds growth in guava orchard. A weedy plot was also kept as control for comparative assessment of different orchard floor management practices. The results revealed a significant effect of different treatments on grassy as well as broad-leaf weeds in the orchard. Although the black polythene mulch kept the area weed free throughout the season, the paddy straw mulch exhibited promising results, with 69.1 and 93.2% reduction in total weed biomass during first and second year of application, respectively. The white polythene was poor performer as it resulted in heavy weed growth under the mulch and tearing of polythene sheet. Chemical weed management as well as mechanical weeding also reduced the intensity of weeds but resurgence of weeds resulted significantly higher weed biomass compared to paddy straw mulch. The paddy straw mulch exhibited potential to manage weeds in guava orchard.

Effect of drip irrigation frequency, nitrogen rate and mulching on nitrous oxide emissions in a semi-arid climate: An assessment across two years in an apple orchard

Micro-irrigation scheduling and mulch application can be used by orchardists to match water supply to plant demand and conserve water. There is little information on how these management practices affect nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from orchard soils, and most previous studies were short-term (<3 months during the growing season). We investigated (1) N2O emissions across a 2year cycle of orchard management and (2) seasonal N2O emissions by analysing measurements taken before, during and after the growing season in an apple (Malus domestica Borkh) orchard under various managements in a semiarid climate. Treatments included drip irrigation frequency (every day or every 2nd day) delivering the same total amount of water, orchard floor management (bare soil or shredded bark and wood mulch) and nitrogen application rate applied as calcium nitrate by fertigation (20 or 40gNtree−1). Over a period of two complete years, irrigation every 2nd day reduced area-scaled N2O emissions by 27% and application of shredded bark and wood mulch reduced area-scaled N2O emissions by 19%, suggesting that reduced drip irrigation frequency and mulching may provide an opportunity for suppressing N2O emissions from drip irrigated orchards. Treatment effects on N2O emissions were variable across seasons and years and a significant portion (17–51%) of the annual N2O emissions occurred during the pre-growing season particularly during freeze-thaw cycles, affirming the importance of year round monitoring when assessing the effect of managements on N2O emissions.

Effect of orchard floor management practices on soil physical properties, growth and yield of ‘Kinnow’ mandarin (Citrus reticulataBlanco)

Effect of orchard floor management practices on soil physical properties, growth and yield of ‘Kinnow’ mandarin (<i>Citrus reticulata</i>Blanco)

Quantifying the potential contribution of soil carbon to orchard carbon footprints

Increasing soil carbon is promoted to growers as a means of increasing soil function and mitigating climate change. However, the importance of soil carbon is not yet fully acknowledged in life cycle assessment guidelines. Because of their perennial nature and deep rooting systems, orchards have the potential to increase subsoil carbon stocks below 0.3 m depth. Quantifying soil carbon stocks at the orchard scale, however, requires sampling protocols that incorporate the spatial variability of carbon in orchards. We have investigated soil carbon stocks to 1 m depth in apple orchards in Australia and New Zealand and found that total carbon stocks were maintained over four to 12 years. Orchard floor management practices can create a spatial distribution of shallow soil carbon stocks, and we observed a trend for decreasing surface-soil carbon stocks under the alley. Additionally, we determined soil carbon stocks to 9 m depth in a New Zealand kiwifruit orchard and calculated an increase of 190 t C ha-1 after 30 years compared with that in the nearby pasture soil that was the antecedent land-use. This increase in soil carbon equates to 42% of the carbon footprint of New Zealand kiwifruit on United Kingdom supermarket shelves. Therefore, accurately quantifying soil carbon stock changes under orchard systems presents a potential opportunity to reduce horticultural carbon footprints.

The Effect of Seed Treatments on the Germination of Different Fabaceae Species of a Natural Meadow-Like Association

The goal of our experiment is to compose a species-rich seed mixture suitable for soil covering in orchard floor management in organic fruit production systems. Besides selection of traditionally used grass and Fabaceae species we are focusing on the involvement of local fora elements, of the experiment site, approaching a natural meadow-like association. Species of the following plant families are involved: Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Rosaceae, Linaceae, Polygonaceae, Dipsacaceae, Fabaceae, Poaceae. Seeds of selected species were tested to determine germination % before seeding, according to MSZ 6354-3:2008 standard in climate cabinet. Seed treatments (vernalisation, scarification) were carried out according to relevant standard. There were differences in the germination% of commercial and wild collected seed items of Agrimonia eupatoria L, Ajuga genevensis L, Lotus corniculatus L, and Achillea millefolium L. The applied seed treatments resulted significant difference between the treated and non-treated seed items most of the tested species related their germination%. For example in case of Anthyllis vulneraria L it was effective. Scarification was effective for commercial hard seed species like Lotus corniculatus L in our case, but it was not effective for Agrimonia eupatoria L. The aim of the treatments was to select those species which can be seed in the same time, will be easier applied to soil and climatic condition of the experiment site and to determine effect of pre-treatments on germination % of seeds of tested species.