Download Orchard interrow (floor) management and mulching

Orchard interrow (floor)
management and mulching
Between-row ground cover
• consist of species adapted to
– the region
– to the orchard management plan
Species
• orchard grass
(Dactylis glomerata)
• festucas (Festuca rubra)
• other grasses
Leguminous plants
• deep-rooted and compete with the trees for
water!
BUT!
• increase the water permeability of the soil
• provide significant nitrogen to
fruit trees or vines
• increasing organic matter
content of the soil
increases the
water holding capacity
Alfalfa root
Mixed grass-legume cover
crop
• Mowing should be timed:
– to obtain maximum growth of the cover
crop
– but should occur before plants go to seed
mowing in orchard
Allelopathy
Some types of vegetative mulches exhibit
allelopathic effects against weeds.
Allelopathy = the suppressive effect one plant may
have on another plant nearby as a result of released
chemicals.
e.g: rye, sorghum, Sudan grass,
wheat, barley, and oats are
used as mulches and chemically
suppress weed germination
and growth
Promising system of orchard
floor management
• Provides:
– mulch
– fertilizer (organic material)
– between-row ground cover
– beneficial insect habitat
– decrease of orchard pests
flowering orchard
floor
Possible problems
• Some ground cover species can
increase pest and disease problems:
– some winter annual broadleaf weeds in
fostering populations of tarnished plant
bugs (Lygus sp.) in peach orchards
Lygus sp.
– legumes can attract hemipterous pests like
tarnished plant bugs (Lygus sp.) and stink bugs
(Nezara viridula)
Nezara viridula
– dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) and chickweed
(Stellaria media) can serve as hosts for viruses that
affect peaches and apples
dandelions
chickweed
Alternatives
– mustards
mustard
– buckwheat
buckwheat
– dwarf sorghum and
– various members of the Umbelliferae and
Compositae families
support substantial numbers of beneficial
insects without attracting as many pests
Mulching with organic materials
•
•
•
•
straw
leaves
sawdust
etc.
• apply it thickly enough
or supplemented
with sheets of paper
or cardboard as
the bottom layer
significant weed
suppression
straw mulch in orchard
• enhancing soil aggregation and water
availability
• moderating soil temperature
• resulting in reduced plant stress
Application
• mulch should be kept well away from
the trunk to reduce damage from voles especially important in winter.
vole eaten apple
vole – Microtus sp.
• keeping the mulch 20-25 cm away from
the trunk reduces crown rot and other
diseases in susceptible species – most
notably apples on certain rootstocks.
apple crown rot Phytophthora cactorum
Inorganic mulches
• woven plastic
• textile mulches (geotextiles)
• allow air and water penetration +
suppress weeds
• standard black plastic mulches are not
beneficial for tree crops
unformatted
root growth
increased drought
susceptibility