COII Amterdam 15 May 2013

Luisa M. Manici*, CRA – Consiglio Italiano per la Ricerca e Sperimetazione in Agricoltura (Italy)

G. Baab (Germany), R. Canet (Spain), S. Kaymak (Turkey), M. Kelderer (Italy), A. Naef (Switzerland), H. Pinar (Turkey), T. Rühmer (Austria), H. Insam & I. Whittle (Austria)

BIO-INCROP - Innovative cropping practices to increase soil health of organic fruit tree orchards

BIO-INCROP

BIO-INCROP is a multidisciplinary project on cropping practices to counteract replant disease in multi-generation apple and citrus orchards

Main questions

It is possible to counteract yield decline of fruit tree orchards solely through agronomic options?

Is it possible to maintain or increase fruit tree production in multi-generation orchards by exploiting microbial communities indigenous to the soil?

What are the non chemical available options to reduce replant problems in new apple and citrus orchards? Are they effective?

COII Stockholm 1th October 2014

Main results

Replant disease of apple orchards in Europe has biotic origin, and it is responsible of 30% growth reduction as compared the optimal growth.

The largest part of microorganisms which colonize root in apple orchards have are not pathogenic. Pathogens are the minority.

Pre-plant treatment with organic amendments and cover crop in replanted orchards gave a weak and variable effect on plant growth.

Techniques based on the application of organic amendments shortly before replanting are not successful to contrast citrus orchard degradation, however they are most effective than biological aggressive techniques such as solarization.

COII Stockholm 1th October 2014

Cropping practics in degraded citrus orchards

Organic amendment (summer 2012)

Solarization and Solarization+ biofumigation (summer 2012)

Vegetal cover (early spring 2012)

COII Stockholm 1th October 2014

Preliminary conclusions

Where SOM is not a limiting fertility factor (such as multi-generation apple orchards in Central Europe) it is possible to develop cropping strategies focusing on soil inhabiting microbial resources.

The organic citrus growers must take into account that aggressive disinfection techniques (including solarization) do harm microbial life in citrus orchards. Thus techniques based on increasing organic matter are not only recommended but necessary .

Bio-formulates (beneficial selected strains, etc) are actually difficult to estimate and compare. This is also due to the differences in composition of media in which they are commercialized.

COII Stockholm 1th October 2014