Leguminous Green Manure Intercropping Promotes Soil Health in a Citrus ( Citrus reticulata ) Orchard

Yuxin Xie, Yulin Jing, Yajie Wang, Rongchun Zheng, Qiurui Xu, Zhenyu Sun () and Tingyu Duan ()
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Yuxin Xie: State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland AgroEcosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China
Yulin Jing: Institute of Soil Fertilisation and Resource Environment, Nanchong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanchong 637000, China
Yajie Wang: State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland AgroEcosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China
Rongchun Zheng: State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland AgroEcosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China
Qiurui Xu: State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland AgroEcosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China
Zhenyu Sun: Institute of Plant Protection, Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730070, China
Tingyu Duan: State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland AgroEcosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 14, issue 11, 1-20

Abstract: The intercropping of green manure is an important and sustainable production method in citrus orchards ( Citrus reticulata ). However, few studies focus on the impact of annual and perennial green manure on soil health, particularly soil microbiome and properties in acid soil. Our research objective was to explore the potential effects on soil health by intercropping with annual and perennial leguminous green manures in acid soil citrus orchards of southwestern China. The leguminous green manures used were alfalfa ( Medicago sativa ) and hairy vetch ( Vicia villosa ). The results showed that intercropping with green manure increased the total nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, and available phosphorous in the soil by 48.67~74.67%, 50.00~96.67%, and 44.48~45.04%, respectively. Intercropping with alfalfa significantly increased the activity of soil sucrase 63.75%, and intercropping with hairy vetch increased the activity of β-1,4-glucosidase 44.38% in the soil compared to the monoculture treatment. Intercropping hairy vetch and alfalfa altered the diversity and composition of the soil microbial community and enriched the soil with beneficial fungi and bacteria, including Mortierella and Streptomyces . The richness increased by 58.72% and 17.90% in alfalfa intercropping treatment. In conclusion, intercropping leguminous green manure improved the nutrients and activity of the enzymes in the soil and enriched the antagonistic microbiome in the soil, promoting soil health in the citrus orchard.

Keywords: green manure; citrus orchard; soil properties; soil enzymes; soil microbial composition; soil microbial function (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
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