Effect of slope position on soil properties and soil moisture regime of Stagnosol in the vineyard

Abstract

Hillslope hydrology in agricultural landscapes is complex due to a variety of hydropedological processes and field management possibilities. The aim was to test if there are any differences in soil properties and water regime along the hillslope and to compare vineyard rows (vine) with inter-rows (grass) area for those properties. The study determined that there are significant differences in the contents of soil particle fractions, pH, and humus content along the slope (P < 0.0001), with lower confidence level in bulk density (P < 0.05). Differences between row and inter-row space were significant for the pH, humus, and silt content, but for sand and clay content, and bulk density differences were not determined. The study determined differences in soil water content among five slope positions (P < 0.0001), and between row and inter-row vineyard space (all with P < 0.05). Where in the upper slope positions (e. g., P1) soil water content was higher than on lower slope positions. Higher soil water content was observed at higher slope positions, associated with clay content. However, it can be concluded that the retention of moisture on the slope is more influenced by local-scale soil properties (primarily soil texture) and variability of the crop (row/inter-row) than the position on the slope.

Soil Fertility Assessment and Mapping under Different Land Use Types along Toposequence at Danka Watershed in Dinsho Districts of Bale Highland Oromia, Southeastern Ethiopia

“…This might be because clay particles were deposited at lower slope positions after being washed away from upper slope positions. In line with this finding, there have also been reports of higher clay content at lower slope positions relative to middle and upper slope positions [44,25,95,8,4,51]. This result was consistent with studies that found increased clay amount under cultivated land concerning forestry and grazing land [31,89,78,19].…”

“…The slope positions are a common factor in topography, and they expose how different soil properties, such as pH, organic matter content, and particle size distribution, depend on terrain characteristics [69, 52,51]. Parent material, terrain, temperature, vegetation, and human influences are among the components that affect the more sensitive soil qualities in the highland agro-ecological zone.…”

Plant Growth and Soil Water Content Changes under Different Inter-Row Soil Management Methods in a Sloping Vineyard

“…Soil physical and chemical differences among study sites can greatly influence the hydrology of the soils; however, in the present study, the differences in soil texture between sites were less pronounced than the heterogeneity within the same slope. Magdić et al [ 46 ] found similar results, reporting that the upper part of the vineyard slope had higher soil moisture content compared to the lower points. These authors also suggested that higher clay content could be a possible cause.…”

Effects of sterilization methods on the survival of pathogenic bacteria in potting soil stored at various temperatures

“…To determine weight loss, the samples were weighed using a digital balance (BCE224i-1SKR, Sartorius, Göttingen, Germany). The moisture content (%) of the potting soil was determined using the gravimetric method (Magdić et al, 2022 ). Moisture content (%) was calculated by the weight loss of the sample (50 g) maintained in a dry oven (DS-80-1, Dasol Scientific Co. Ltd., Hwaseong-si, Korea) at 105 °C until a constant weight was reached.…”