Articles
Evaluation of the mulching attitude for potted olive trees of a blanket obtained from the beached Posidonia
Article number
1457_4
Pages
29 – 32
Language
English
Abstract
Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile is a seaweed that colonizes the seabed in the Mediterranean Sea near the coasts, playing an important role in the marine and coastal ecosystem.
At the end of its life cycle, following autumn sea storms, it is deposited on the coasts of the entire Mediterranean Sea every year, giving rise to the characteristic heaps known as banquettes.
This study examined the use of a blanket made from Posidonia by the Rinnova start-up as a mulch for weed control in potted olive trees.
To this end, six-year-old potted olive trees (‘Leccino’) were used.
The experiment was designed as a randomized block with three blocks, each containing 9 potted olive trees and 3 weed control treatments (manual weeding, mulch with plastic film, and mulch with Posidonia blanket). The pH and electrical conductivity (EC) of the substrate’s leachate and the leaves’ relative water content (RWC) and chlorophyll content were monitored for 1 year.
The pH of the substrate’s leachate averaged around 7.3 in all the treatments.
Initially, the EC values observed in the substrates mulched with Posidonia were 2660 µS cm‑1 higher than in the other two treatments (around 600 µS cm‑1). Over time, a rapid decrease in EC values was observed, and at the end of the test, for all three treatments, the values were around 300 µS cm‑1. The RWC and leaves’ chlorophyll content were not affected by the mulching with Posidonia, plastic film, and weed manual control. 50% of the Posidonia blanket began to deteriorate, showing cracks (a few mm) 5 months after the experiment was set up.
However, the cracks did not increase in the subsequent period.
Therefore, it can be stated that, considering the related environmental advantages, based on the preliminary results obtained, the use of Posidonia-based mulching blanket for potted olive trees appears to be an alternative to weed manual control or traditional plastic films, despite having, as was to be expected, a shorter lifespan than the latter.
At the end of its life cycle, following autumn sea storms, it is deposited on the coasts of the entire Mediterranean Sea every year, giving rise to the characteristic heaps known as banquettes.
This study examined the use of a blanket made from Posidonia by the Rinnova start-up as a mulch for weed control in potted olive trees.
To this end, six-year-old potted olive trees (‘Leccino’) were used.
The experiment was designed as a randomized block with three blocks, each containing 9 potted olive trees and 3 weed control treatments (manual weeding, mulch with plastic film, and mulch with Posidonia blanket). The pH and electrical conductivity (EC) of the substrate’s leachate and the leaves’ relative water content (RWC) and chlorophyll content were monitored for 1 year.
The pH of the substrate’s leachate averaged around 7.3 in all the treatments.
Initially, the EC values observed in the substrates mulched with Posidonia were 2660 µS cm‑1 higher than in the other two treatments (around 600 µS cm‑1). Over time, a rapid decrease in EC values was observed, and at the end of the test, for all three treatments, the values were around 300 µS cm‑1. The RWC and leaves’ chlorophyll content were not affected by the mulching with Posidonia, plastic film, and weed manual control. 50% of the Posidonia blanket began to deteriorate, showing cracks (a few mm) 5 months after the experiment was set up.
However, the cracks did not increase in the subsequent period.
Therefore, it can be stated that, considering the related environmental advantages, based on the preliminary results obtained, the use of Posidonia-based mulching blanket for potted olive trees appears to be an alternative to weed manual control or traditional plastic films, despite having, as was to be expected, a shorter lifespan than the latter.
Publication
Authors
L. Regni, A. Cesarini, M. Spinelli, M. Parasporo, G. Sottilotta, F. Porrovecchio, M.T. Castillo, P. Proietti
Keywords
Olea europaea L., weed control, seaweed, recycling
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