Effects of ground mulching on leaf quality in late apple growth stage and rhizosphere environment in the dryland of eastern Gansu Province
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DOI:10.7606/j.issn.1000-7601.2019.01.13
Key Words: apple orchard  ground mulching  apple leaf quality  rhizosphere environment  soil enzyme  soil microorganism
Author NameAffiliation
SUN Wen-tai Institute of Forestry, Fruits and Floriculture, Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730070, China 
DONG Tie Institute of Forestry, Fruits and Floriculture, Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730070, China 
LIU Xing-lu Institute of Forestry, Fruits and Floriculture, Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730070, China 
YIN Xiao-ning Institute of Forestry, Fruits and Floriculture, Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730070, China 
NIU Jun-qiang Institute of Forestry, Fruits and Floriculture, Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730070, China 
MA Ming Institute of Forestry, Fruits and Floriculture, Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730070, China 
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Abstract:
      The objective of this study is to identify the effects of ground mulching on the leaf quality at late growth stages of apple as well as rhizosphere environment in Longdong arid areas. Leaf nutrients and reactive oxygen metabolism of the 16-years-old apple trees with six consecutive years coverage were measured, which included conventional tillage (CK) with three coverage types of plastic mulching, straw mulching, and film + straw. Soil moisture, soil bulk density, and organic matter content in different layers were determined as well as the soil microorganisms and soil enzyme activity in the rhizosphere. The results indicated that straw mulching increased leaf chlorophyll and starch contents by 2.79% and 29.09%, respectively. In the concentrated layer of apple roots (20~40 cm), straw mulching increased content of soil moisture by 102.93% and organic matter content by 135.96% over the control. Also, the soil bulk density was reduced by 96.32%. The activities of urease, alkaline phosphatase, catalase, and sucrase in top 20 cm soil layer were significantly increased by 157.14%, 218.5%, 118.02%, and 193.21% over that of the control, respectively. The amount of microorganisms in the soil with straw mulching was 134.19% of that in the control and the population of bacteria and fungi were increased, but the population of actinomycetes was reduced in other soil layers. Also, soil moisture, porosity, microbial population, and activity of urease and sucrase were positively associated with root activity. In addition, there were negative correlations between soil bulk density, catalase, and root activity. The treatments of plastic mulching and film + straw did not improve the leaf quality and soil rhizosphere environment as much as straw mulching. The results of soil physical and chemical properties, soil enzyme, and microbial community distribution showed that the straw mulching is a better option for improving most of the parameters in apple orchard in dryland of the eastern Gansu.