SOIL MAINTENANCE SYSTEMS IN ALMOND PLANTATIONS

Between 2005 and 2009, the effect of different soil maintenance systems on the vegetative and reproductive habits of almond cultivar ‘Start’, grafted on bitter almond rootstock, was examined at the Agricultural Experimental Station in Pomorie.
The plantation was established in 1998 on the typical Smolnitza (Vertisol) soil type and trees were trained to an improved, vase-shaped crown.
The following soil-maintenance systems were studied: black fallow in the inter-row area for the control compared to four green fertilization regimens: winter peas, a grass mixture of oats + peas, vetch, or winter broad beans.
The in-row strip received mechanical tillage with a deviating rotary tiller as a control compared to four soil herbicide regimens: Stomp 33 EC at 4 L/ha or 6 L/ha, and Trevissimo (Diuron + Glyphosate) at 10 L/ha, applied all at once or in two installments over 45 days.
To evaluate the effects on tree growth and fruiting, the following characteristics were reported: the amount of foliage before plowing it in and the effect of the different green fertilization crops on the total yield (kg/tree, kg/ ha) and % kernel.
The applied herbicides effectively controlled weed species in the row strip and did not depress vegetative or reproductive growth of the almond trees.
The crops used for green fertilization formed large root masses that, after plowing in, improved the agrophysical soil properties.
The highest yield was obtained with green fertilization with winter peas and vetch in the inter-row area.

V International Symposium on Pistachios and Almonds

A. Djeneva , Z. Rankova

soil maintenance systems, almond, herbicides, green fertilization

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2011.912.102