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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Olive groves rank among the cropping systems facing higher erosion risk in Mediterranean
Europe. The adoption of erosion control soil management practices is key for reducing such risk and
driving olive production towards sustainability. This field experimental study aimed to quantify
the erosion control performance of improved soil management as compared to conventional soil
management in olive groves of NE Portugal. The design aimed to compare the effects of introducing
no-tillage (NT) to a conventionally managed (T) olive grove and those with complementing ground
cover by adventitious species (NS) with a sown cover (S) and comprised four treatments: TNS
(reference for conventional), TS, NTNS and NTS. Erosion microplots (4 m2) were installed (two per
treatment), recording soil loss, runoff and ground cover in seven erosion events throughout one year.
The best erosion control performance was found in NTNS (low-cost improved soil management
treatment) with 50% and 85% reductions in soil loss, respectively, in the annual total and in erosion
events following large precipitation periods. Plots with adventitious vegetation ground cover
performed better in soil loss control than the sown ones. Converting to no-tillage, as compared to
sowing herbaceous vegetation to increase ground cover, proved more performant and less hazardous
for improving erosion control in olive groves.
Description
Keywords
Soil loss Surface runoff Soil cover Soil tillage Ground cover management Soil conservation
Citation
Santos, Renecleide; Fonseca, Felícia; Baptista, Paula; Paz-González, Antonio; Figueiredo, Tomás de (2023). Erosion control performance of improved soil management in olive groves: a field experimental study in NE Portugal. Land. eISSN 2073-445X. 12:9, p. 1-22
Publisher
MDPI