Composted Dairy Manure and Alfalfa Hay Mulch Affect Soil Ecology and Early Production of ‘Braeburn’ Apple on M.9 Rootstock

Abstract

<jats:p>A variety of organic mulches and amendments have been observed to improve soil quality and productivity of apple orchards. Alfalfa hay and composted dairy manure solids (CDS) are readily available in the apple-growing region of the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia and could be used to improve orchard performance. The objective of this research was to determine the influences of CDS amendment and alfalfa hay mulch on populations of soil microfauna, soil chemical properties, and early growth; nutrient uptake; and yield of apple planted into a fumigated coarse-textured soil in central Washington State. Alfalfa mulch significantly improved tree vigor and fruit yield with minimal adverse effects on fruit quality, whereas the CDS amendment had minor effects on vigor and yield. Both alfalfa mulch and CDS amendment increased availability and uptake into leaves and fruit of most key nutrients but plant nutrient concentrations were not deficient in control plots, suggesting that increased nutrient availability was probably not the primary reason for the increased vigor attributed to alfalfa mulch at this site. The alfalfa mulch resulted in elevated populations of microbivorous nematodes and protozoa that persisted through later years of the experiment, indicating greater overall microbial activity, mineralization of nutrients, and possible direct stimulation of root growth under mulch; the CDS amendment did not consistently enhance populations of microbivorous nematodes. The alfalfa mulch, but not CDS amendment, suppressed the buildup of populations of root-lesion nematodes, which are important components of the replant disease complex that was suppressing tree growth at the site despite the preplant fumigation. Accordingly, we speculate that the reduced impacts of root-lesion nematodes contributed to the improved vigor and fruit yield of trees grown with alfalfa hay mulch.</jats:p>

Experiencias agroecológicas para el mejoramiento de suelos en el huerto orgánico de la UIDE, campus matriz

“…Además de proveer nutrientes, el mulch podría ayudar en el control de patógenos tales como nemátodos. Efecto que podría durar varios años luego de la aplicación del mulch (Forge et al, 2013;Gliessman, 2007 Oficial de la Tecnología EM en América Latina). Se obtienen mediante fermentación y constituyen una mezcla de levaduras, bacterias productoras de ácido láctico y bacterias fototróficas.…”

Grower Analysis of Organic Matter Amendments in California Orchards

“…Water holding capacity was ranked as the lowest primary benefit with a significant difference ( p < 0.001) in the distribution between usage groups and a higher ranking by nonusers. Improved microbial diversity and greater availability of essential nutrients are examples of benefits to soil biology from OMA in orchards (Brown and Tworkoski, 2004; Forge et al, 2013; Mathews et al, 2002; Peck et al, 2011). The lack of differences for soil biology as the primary benefit between usage groups suggests the perception of the benefit by nonusers is supported by the experience of users.…”

“…Organic matter amendments offer multiple benefits by providing a source of essential nutrients and a partial substitute for chemical fertilizer (Bittenbender et al, 1998; Mordoğan et al, 2013; Preusch and Tworkoski, 2003; Roosta and Mohammadi, 2013) while maintaining or improving yields (Amiri and Fallahi, 2009; Baldi et al, 2010; Forge et al, 2013; Sanchez et al, 2003) and improving soil health (Briones et al, 2011; Mathews et al, 2002; van Overbeek et al, 2010). Soils commonly used for orchard production can be at greater risk for carbon loss (Angers et al, 2011).…”

Alternative Fertility Management for Establishing New Apple Orchards in the Mid-Atlantic

“…In addition, compost applications in coarse soil increased apple leaf N by 5%, K by 4%, Mn by 13%, and Zn by 5% compared with an unfertilized control (Sas-Paszt et al, 2014). However, compost applications do not appear to affect the vegetative growth or fruit yield or quality independent of soil texture (Forge et al, 2013;Neilsen et al, 2014;Rumberger et al, 2004;Sas-Paszt et al, 2014;Yao et al, 2006). In contrast to the results observed in apple orchards, Baldi et al (2010) found that when compost was tilled into fine textured soil to a depth of 25 cm in a 7-year-old peach orchard, fruit yield increased by 38% in the first year, as did soil quality measures such as, OM, soil mineral nutrition, and microbial biomass C compared with the unfertilized control.…”

“…One approach to improving soil fertility and reducing N loss is to use carbon-based amendments, such as composts. In apple orchards, compost applications have been shown to improved edaphic properties, including soil OM, microbial biomass carbon (C), microbial respiration, and soil mineral nutrition in fine-and coarse-textured soils (Forge et al, 2013;Neilsen et al, 2014;Rumberger et al, 2004;Sas-Paszt et al, 2014;Yao et al, 2006). For example, Kramer et al (2006) observed that compost amended soils had 42% greater OM and 35 and 57% greater microbial biomass C and N, respectively, than soil fertilized with mineral N fertilizer.…”