Orchard Floor Management Affects Tree Functionality, Productivity and Water Consumption of a Late Ripening Peach Orchard under Semi-Arid Conditions

Applied Sciences

Luigi Manfrini¹  Pasquale Losciale²  Liliana Gaeta³  Pasquale Campi³  Luigi Tarricone⁴ 

[1] Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences–DISTAL, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy;Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences–DiSSPA-, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, 70126 Bari, Italy;Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, CREA-Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, 70125 Bari, Italy;Research Centre for Viticulture and Enology, CREA-Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, 70010 Turi, Italy;

关键词: mulching;    flattening;    irrigation;    photosynthesis;    transpiration;    soil quality;   

DOI  :  10.3390/app10228135

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Semi-arid conditions are favorable for the cultivation of late ripening peach cultivars; however, seasonal water scarcity and reduction in soil biological fertility, heightened by improper soil management, are jeopardizing this important sector. In the present two-year study, four soil managements were compared on a late ripening peach orchard: (i) completely tilled (control); (ii) mulched with reusable reflective plastic film; (iii) mulching with a Leguminosae cover-crop flattened after peach fruit set; (iv) completely tilled, supplying the water volumes of the plastic mulched treatment, supposed to be lower than the control. Comparison was performed for soil features, water use, tree functionality, fruit growth, fruit quality, yield and water productivity. Even receiving about 50% of the regular irrigation, reusable reflective mulching reduced water loss and soil carbon over mineralization, not affecting (sometimes increasing) net carbon assimilation, yield, and fruit size and increasing water productivity. The flattening technique should be refined in the last part of the season as in hot and dry areas with clay soils and low organic matter, soil cracking increased water evaporation predisposing the orchard at water stress. The development and implementation of appropriate soil management strategies could be pivotal for making peach production economically and environmentally sustainable.

【 授权许可】

Unknown