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Gramineae-legumes mixed planting effectively reduces soil and nutrient loss in orchards

Published Article

China

Publication date: November 1, 2023

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A field study in Xichuan County, Henan, China demonstrates that mixed Gramineae–Legume cover crops are the most effective strategy for reducing soil erosion, runoff, and nutrient losses in cherry orchards. Compared to no‑cover systems, mixed planting significantly lowers carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus loss, improving soil and water conservation.

Subject Tags

  • Agriculture
  • Soils

Abstract

Soil, water, and nutrients depletion may affect sustainable agriculture in some resource-poor areas. Implementing cover crops as a conservation management strategy mitigates the loss of water, soil, nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) by introducing vegetation during non-crop seasons or in the spaces between rows instead of leaving the land bare. This study aimed to compare water, soil, various carbon (C) forms, N, and P losses through leaching and surface runoff in orchard fields that were managed with either no-cover crop (NC) or cover crops, including natural grass (NG), Legume grass (LG), Gramineae grass (GG), and a mixture of Legume and Gramineae grass (MG). The findings indicate that cover crop fields exhibited a significant reduction in the runoff by 33–60 %, leaching amount by 33–51 %, soil loss by 30–53 %, and total C, N, and P by 30–48 %, 30–49 %, and 30–38 %, respectively compared to NC fields. Additionally, implementing artificial grass, particularly MG, demonstrated more significant efficacy in mitigating water and soil losses and associated N and P losses. Specifically, MG fields exhibited a 40 % and 18 % reduction in runoff and leaching as well as a reduction in total C, N, and P loss by 7 %, 12 %, and 7 %, respectively, compared to NG fields. The LG field experienced a 50 % more significant N loss than the MG field, whereas the GG runoff exhibited an increase of more than 70 %. Implementing MG coverage has significantly reduced soil erosion and consequent nutrient loss, establishing it as a viable and uncomplicated approach to conserving soil and water in orchards.

Citation

Li, L., Chen, P., Wang, K., Zhang, R., Yuan, X., Ge, L., ... & Li, Z. (2023). Gramineae-legumes mixed planting effectively reduces soil and nutrient loss in orchards. Agricultural Water Management, 289, 108513.

TNC Authors