Articles
Management of infiltration processes in hop gardens
Article number
1328_16
Pages
115 – 120
Language
English
Abstract
The root system of a perennial plant as hop is typically difficult to study, but knowledge about the root architecture has many implications for irrigation and agricultural practices.
Consequently, this work addresses the issues of distribution of the root system of hop plants in the soil profile in relation to the development of zonal loosening and fertilization systems.
The root distribution of hop was spatially analysed based on removing the intact root system and subsequently reconstructing its architecture.
Analyses of root systems took place in the years 2015 to 2019. A total of 18 root systems of several Czech hop cultivars of different ages were evaluated.
The depth of rooting of the plants ranged from 1 m to a depth of 2.25 m.
The roots usually showed lateral rooting only to a distance of 0.5 to 0.6 m from the centre of the crown.
Zonal loosening and fertilization technologies, which are primarily intended to increase the use of fertilizers deposited with the root system, promote water infiltration into the lower layers of the soil and eliminate soil compaction.
Based on localization of soil compaction and distribution of hop root system in the soil, a cultivator for local loosening of the soil with simultaneous zonal fertilization into the loosening zone was developed.
The belt loosening (modified strip till) system not only significantly eliminated soil compaction at the hop line, but significantly supported water infiltration to the deposited fertilizer near the root system.
Consequently, this work addresses the issues of distribution of the root system of hop plants in the soil profile in relation to the development of zonal loosening and fertilization systems.
The root distribution of hop was spatially analysed based on removing the intact root system and subsequently reconstructing its architecture.
Analyses of root systems took place in the years 2015 to 2019. A total of 18 root systems of several Czech hop cultivars of different ages were evaluated.
The depth of rooting of the plants ranged from 1 m to a depth of 2.25 m.
The roots usually showed lateral rooting only to a distance of 0.5 to 0.6 m from the centre of the crown.
Zonal loosening and fertilization technologies, which are primarily intended to increase the use of fertilizers deposited with the root system, promote water infiltration into the lower layers of the soil and eliminate soil compaction.
Based on localization of soil compaction and distribution of hop root system in the soil, a cultivator for local loosening of the soil with simultaneous zonal fertilization into the loosening zone was developed.
The belt loosening (modified strip till) system not only significantly eliminated soil compaction at the hop line, but significantly supported water infiltration to the deposited fertilizer near the root system.
Publication
Authors
V. Brant, K. Krofta, P. Zábranský, J. Ježek, P. Donner, M. Kroulík, J. Pokorný
Keywords
hop, root system, root density, soil loosening, infiltration, soil cultivator
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