The effects of soil management practices on soil organic matter changes within a productive vineyard in the Nitra viticulture area (Slovakia)

Abstract

Since understanding soil organic matter (SOM) content and quality is very important, in the present study we evaluated parameters of SOM including: carbon lability (LC), lability index (LI), carbon pool index (CPI) and carbon management index (CMI) in the soil as well as in the water-stable aggregates (WSA) under different soil management practices in a commercial vineyard (established on Rendzic Leptosol in the Nitra viticulture area, Slovakia). Soil samples were taken in spring during the years 2008–2015 from the following treatments: G (grass, control), T (tillage and intensive cultivation), T+FYM (tillage + farmyard manure), G+NPK3 (grass + 3rd intensity of fertilisation for vineyards), and G+NPK1 (grass + 1st intensity of fertilisation for vineyards). The highest LI values in soil were found for the G+NPK3 and T+FYM fertilised treatments and the lowest for the unfertilised intensively tilled treatments. The CPI in the soil increased as follows: T < G+NPK3 < T+FYM < G+NPK1. The highest accumulation of carbon as well as decomposable organic matter occurred in G+NPK1 compared to other fertilised treatments, while intensive tillage caused a decrease. On average, the values of LI in WSA increased in the sequence G+NPK1 < T+FYM < G+NPK3 < T. Our results showed that the greatest SOM vulnerability to degradation was observed in the WSA under T treatment, and the greatest values of CPI in WSA were detected as a result of fertiliser application in 3rd intensity for vineyards and farmyard manure application.

Biochar: An Important Component Ameliorating the Productivity of Intensively Used Soils

“…In 2014, a field experiment was established at the research base of SUA (in locality Malanta near Nitra city, Slovakia). The local soil type, Haplic Luvisol, represents about 11% (265.4 thousand ha) of total agricultural land in Slovakia [6], and approx. 500-600 mil.…”

“…Currently, 6.350 m 2 of soil is lost globally every second, the two trends of arable land loss and human population rise conspire to create a significant challenge for agriculture. For example, annual loss of agricultural land is estimated to be 430 km 2 in Germany, 130 km 2 in the Netherlands, 120 km 2 in Austria, 30 km 2 in Switzerland and between 30 to 50 km 2 in Slovakia [6]. Conversion of land to agriculture appears to have run its course in the 'developed' world -in fact the area of agricultural land is decreasing, but 'developing' countries are still characterized by a relatively high rate of land use change to agriculture [7].…”

Impact of crop residues and biopreparations on nitrogen changes in Haplic Luvisol – model experiment

“…According to Blair et al (1995) we calculated the following indexes: nitrogen lability (L N ), nitrogen lability index (NLI), nitrogen pool index (NPI) and nitrogen management index (NMI), which could be considered as their equivalents with carbon (Blair et al 1995, Conteh et al 1999, Szombathová 1999, Vieira et al 2007, Šimanský and Polláková 2016 to r o t c a F L N I L N I P N I M N s e u d i s e r p o r C e u l a V -P 0 0 0 0 . 0 2 1 3 9 .…”

Effect of biochar and Tithonia compost on physical properties of post-coal mining soil

“…High organic matter content can lead to low bulk density and increase total soil pore space, and vice versa (Barus, 2016). Soil organic matter (SOM) also plays a crucial role in controlling soil quality and resilience due to its fundamental role in determining various soil properties, including buffering capacity, microbial biodiversity, water retention, and structural stabilization (Šimanský et al, 2013;Šimanský and Polláková, 2016). For instance, humic substances (part of SOM) regulate buffering capacity, cation exchange, and soil water retention capacity (Šimanský and Polláková, 2016), as well as the formation and stabilization of aggregates resistant to (Šimanský et al, 2013;Polláková et al, 2017).…”