Effect of long-term use of apple orchard on selected chemical properties of soils developed from silts

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to analyse selected chemical properties of soils that have been in perennial orchard use. Four at least 20-year-old apple orchards were chosen for the investigation. Soils samples of chernozem, two luvisols and fluvisol developed from loess and silts were collected from the herbicide strips, from the depth of 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm and > 35 cm. Following analyses were performed: pH in water and 1M KCl, hydrolytic acidity (Hh), sum of basic cations (S), total sorption capacity (T), share of basic cations in sorption complex (V) calculated on the basis of Hh, S and T measurements, organic carbon (Corg), total nitrogen (Ntot), available forms of phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg). The silty soils remaining under perennial use of orchards differed in terms of a majority of the analysed chemical properties. Some differences resulted from the type of parent material and typology of the studied soils, others were the result of human activity. Only the chernozem did not show strong acidification. The other soils should be limed. The content of available forms of P, K and Mg might depend on fertilisation, while Corg and Ntot were typical for the analysed soils. Significant differences between the objects showed a random character and mainly concerned sorption properties, while the level of investigated elements resulted from human activity.

Keywords

• silty soils
• apple orchard
• chemical properties