In order to mitigate vineyard degradation, we study different soil management to obtain the most suitable practices. To study the effects of water erosion on vineyards, a rainfall experiment (58 mm h
...for 30 min) was applied on Anthrosols in humid conditions to assess the impact of treatment (Tilled, Straw and Grass) and season (Spring and Summer). Higher bulk density (BD) and soil water content (SWC) were on the Straw treatment in the Spring period. Also, the Tilled and Grass treatment noticed higher mean weight diameter (MWD) and water-stable aggregates (WSA). In the Summer, BD, SWC and MWD were significantly higher on the Grass treatment. Higher values of time to ponding (TP) and time to runoff (TR) in Spring were recorded on the Grass treatment, Runoff was higher on the Straw treatment. Higher sediment concentration (SC) and soil loss (SL) were noticed during the Tilled treatment. In the Summer period, TP was higher on the Straw treatment, while TR and Runoff were higher on the Straw, SC and SL on the Tilled treatment. This study confirms the positive effects of grass cover and straw mulching as a sustainable agricultural practice in sloped vineyards of north-western Croatia.
Soil degradation threatens global food security and environmental sustainability, necessitating effective soil management strategies. This review comprehensively examines the impact of organic soil ...amendments on soil quality and productivity across various soil types and climatic conditions. A review of significant research related to organic amendments was performed using encompassed data from online search engines for studies published up until 31 December 2023. Despite their heterogeneity and use of varying methodologies, the data were narratively synthesized, providing a comprehensive understanding of amendment-induced changes in the chemical and physical properties of soil and the effectiveness of restoration on soil degradation. Organic amendments, including compost, vermicompost, biochar, and pomace, are pivotal in enhancing soil quality by increasing soil organic matter content, fostering aggregate formation, and improving soil structure in the short term. They positively influence water retention capacity, pH levels, nutrient availability, and carbon sequestration. In several studies, amendment-induced changes were absent, indicating that the effects of amendments vary depending on soil texture, application rates, and cropping systems, which emphasizes the need for tailored, sustainable soil management practices. This study concludes that organic amendments are a promising option for structure improvement and organic matter accumulation. It further suggests that an approach that integrates various methods is essential in order to meet desirable soil quality and retain agricultural productivity and offers valuable insights and recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers. Organic amendments can improve soil ecosystem services and contribute to climate change adaptation. In the future, more attention should be directed to tillage management and soil amendment interaction, as well as their effectiveness over specific periods of time.
Proper soil management is crucial to mitigate soil degradation. Hazelnut orchards are often raised on slopes and intensively managed, which makes them similar to the already defined highly erodible ...land uses like vineyards. This research aims to assess the impacts of soil management and the slope on the soil properties, hydrological response, and erosion in the hazelnut orchard. At eastern Croatia on Cambisols, four treatments were chosen, representing two soil managements in the study area (herbicide and mulched) on two different slope inclinations (high ~9° and low ~4.5°), for rainfall simulation experiments and soil sampling. The herbicide treatments on both slopes removed soil cover and reduced (p < 0.05) soil organic matter, mean weight diameter, and water-stable aggregates. Mulched treatments recorded a lower (p < 0.05) bulk density. These soil properties affected soil hydrological response, as the reduction of infiltration in herbicide plots lead to higher water and sediment losses. The higher slope increased erosion in herbicide soil to over 2.2 t ha−1. Mulching was shown as a superior practice as it enhances soil properties and reduces soil erosion, even reducing the effect of the higher slope on erosional processes.
The excessive use of mineral fertilizer and other conventional cultivation management practices causes decreased soil health and accelerated soil degradation in agricultural landscapes. This work ...aims to test biostimulants extracted from the lumbripost in annual croplands (maize cultivation). The experiment conducted in randomized block design with five replications was established in a semi-humid environment during 2018 and 2019 on Stagnosols in Croatia to obtain the possible implementation of biostimulants in maize cropping systems. Besides biostimulants, other treatments were farmyard manure (40 t ha−1) - FYM, biostimulant + FYM, and control. FYM, biostimulant + FYM, and biostimulant improved soil physical and chemical properties and yield of maize compared to control. Soil compaction and aggregate stability at the end of the experiment is significantly lower at FYM than at control plots. Control plots have significantly lower mean weight diameter of aggregates than other plots. Treatments generally did not impact soil chemical properties significantly. In 2018, CO2 emissions were significantly higher at FYM and biostimulant + FYM in addition to other treatments. In 2019, biostimulant and FYM treatments had significantly higher CO2 emissions than control. Maize yields were significantly higher at biostimulant + FYM than at biostimulant and control plots in 2018. In 2019, control plots recorded significantly lower maize grain yields than other treatments. Regularly using good practices like biostimulants and farmyard manure raises crop yields, increases aggregate size and stability, and reduces soil compaction. Using biostimulants and farmyard manure contributes to better land use management in annual rainfed croplands in Pannonian Croatia.
Nowadays, when the human impact on the environment becomes prominent daily, specific steps are needed to mitigate or halt those changes. By far, agricultural land is most affected by the degradation ...process, leading to soil erosion and decreased soil quality. Sustainable measures are needed to find a solution to that problem. This study, located in an agricultural area in northwestern Croatia, gives an insight into how different tillage systems (conventional and conservation) with the addition of manure will affect soil physicochemical properties, hydrology response, and overall yield. To assess hydrological response, a rainfall simulator was used; meanwhile, soil samples were taken to determine bulk density, soil water content, water-stable aggregates, and soil organic matter. Soil water content did not show significant differences, whereas bulk density and penetration resistance yielded significantly higher values at 15-30 cm depth compared to 0-15 cm depth. Also, the conservation manure recorded lower bulk density and penetration resistance values than conventional tilled treatments. Water-stable aggregates and soil organic matter were severely affected by manure addition and yielded an increase after harvest. Hydrological response was delayed for the treatments with manure addition. Crop yield was also significantly higher for the conventional treatment with manure addition, whereas the control plots had lower yields. The results of this study show the positive aspects of conservation tillage, especially with manure addition, where soil quality is preserved or even increased.
Straw mulching is a sustainable practice used to control soil erosion. However, different doses of mulch affect the efficiency of straw conservation. This study presents detailed research on how soil ...physicochemical properties and the hydrological response react to different types of vineyard soil management (Tilled, Grass, Low Straw, High Straw) and seasons (spring, summer, autumn) under conventional management on Anthrosols in Mediterranean conditions. To assess soil properties, core samples and disturbed samples were taken from the topsoil layer (0–10 cm). To evaluate erosion rates, a rainfall simulation experiment was conducted (58 mm h−1 for 30 min) with 10 replicates per treatment and season (120 in total). The results show higher water-stable aggregates (WSA) and soil organic matter (SOM) and lower bulk density (BD) in the mulch and grass treatment groups compared with the Tilled treatment group. High Straw treatment successfully mitigated runoff, while other treatments had significantly higher runoff that triggered sediment loss (SL) and translocation of P, K, Zn and Ni down the slope. There were 254% and 520% higher K losses with Tilled treatment in autumn compared with Low Straw and Grass treatments, respectively. Statistical analysis showed a strong association between element loss and SL, which indicates an ecological threat in degraded and endangered vineyards. Mulch application and grass cover reduce the vulnerability of vineyards, reduce evaporation, act as insulation against high temperatures, reduce erosion and suppress weed growth. The mulch dosage varies depending on the goals and conditions of the vineyard; thus, lower mulch dosage (2 t/ha) is appropriate when soil conditions are favourable and there is no significant need for moisture retention, while higher mulch dosage is necessary in dry regions to maintain soil moisture during high-temperature periods, as well as in sloped areas subjected to erosion.
The negative environmental impact of conventional agriculture threatens agroecosystem stability and food security. Therefore, searching for optimal soil management practices is crucial for ...maintaining and improving soil functions. This work aims to determine the impact of conventional and conservation tillage on Stagnosols in a semi-humid environment in Marija Magdalena (Croatia) during 2021 and 2022. Under each tillage treatment, subplots were biochar, cattle manure, and control (split-plot design). The conservation tillage exhibits lower compaction in addition to conventional tillage. In 2021, at 0–15 cm and 15–30 cm depths, control plots had the highest bulk density (BD), while biochar plots had the lowest. In 2022, biochar and manure treatments under conventional tillage had significantly higher BD than those under conservation tillage. Penetration resistance did not exceed 2 MPa in all treatments. Soil water content was high in conservation treatments at 0–15 cm. Water-stable aggregates were higher in biochar and manure plots under both tillage treatments. Maize yield was higher in conservation treatments in 2021 and in conventional during 2022. Manure and biochar in the conventional system showed a better impact on grain yields than under conservation. Conservation tillage in rain-fed farming maintains crop yields and reduces soil compaction.
Understanding the importance of grassland management is crucial for predicting the effects on forage production, pasture and ecosystem stability. Studies about the impact of grassland management in ...temperate humid environments on soil, erosion and aboveground biomass properties are lacking. This study investigates the effect of different grassland managements—no grazing, moderate grazing and heavy grazing—on soil properties, hydrological responses and herbage quality in an organic farm located in Croatia. The results showed that heavy grazing significantly increased soil compaction, structural deterioration, erosion and nutrient transport compared with no grazing. Heavily grazed plots had significantly higher soil organic matter and nutrient concentrations compared with no-grazing plots. Moderately grazed plots had the highest biomass production and the herbage with higher quality compared with other treatments. Significantly higher ash contents on heavily and moderately grazed plots were due to cow trampling. Cow grazing behaviour was a more important factor for plant regrowth and herbage quality than soil properties. Moderate grazing did not induce serious soil erosion problems or reduce soil productivity. Soil conservation measures should focus only on the heavily grazed areas and include the introduction of rotational grazing in combination with various strategies: excluding grazing, reseeding and increasing the diversity of resting areas.
Soil and water loss due to traditional intensive types of agricultural management is widespread and unsustainable in Croatian croplands. In order to mitigate the accelerated land degradation, we ...studied different cropland soil management strategies to obtain feasible and sustainable agro-technical practices. A rainfall simulation experiment was conducted at 58 mm h–1 over 30 min on 10 paired plots (0.785 m2), bare and straw covered (2 t ha−1). The experiment was carried out in maize cultivation (Blagorodovac, Croatia) established on Stagnosols on slopes. Measurements were conducted during April (bare soil, after seeding), May (five-leaves stage), and June (intensive vegetative growth) making 60 rainfall simulations in total. Straw reduced soil and water losses significantly. The highest water, sediment loss, and sediment concentrations were identified in tillage plots during May. Straw addition resulted in delayed ponding (for 7%, 63%, and 50% during April, May and June, respectively) and runoff generation (for 37%, 32%, and 18% during April, May and June, respectively). Compared with the straw-mulched plot, tillage and bare soil increased water loss by 349%. Maize development reduced the difference between bare and straw-mulched plots. During May and June, bare plots increase water loss by 92% and 95%, respectively. The straw mulch reduced raindrop kinetic energy and sediment detachment from 9, 6, and 5 magnitude orders in April, May, and June, respectively. Overall, the straw mulch was revealed to be a highly efficient nature-based solution for soil conservation and maize cultivation protection.
Major losses of agricultural production and soils are caused by erosion, which is especially pronounced on hillslopes due to specific hydrological processes and heterogeneity. Therefore, the aim of ...this study was to assess the impact of agricultural management on the compaction, infiltration, and seasonal water content dynamics of the hillslope. Measurements were made at the hilltop and footslope, i.e., soil water content and potential were measured using sensors, wick lysimeters were used to quantify water flux, while a mini-disk infiltrometer was used to measure the infiltration rate and calculate the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (K_unsat). Soil texture showed differences between hillslope positions, i.e., at the hilltop after 50 cm depth, the soil is classified as silty clay loam, and from 75 cm onward, the soil is silty clay, while at the footslope, the soil is silt loam even at the deeper depths. The results show a higher K_unsat at the footslope as well as higher average water volumes collected in wick lysimeters compared to the hilltop. Average water volumes showed a statistically significant difference at p < 0.01 between the hilltop and the footslope. The soil water content and water potential sensors showed higher values at the footslope at all depths, i.e., 8.0% at 15 cm, 8.4% at 30 cm, and 27.3% at 45 cm. The results show that, even though the vineyard is located in a relatively small area, soil heterogeneity is present, affecting the water flow along the hillslope. This suggests the importance of observing water movement in the soil, especially today when facing extreme weather (e.g., short-term high-intensity rainfall events) in order to protect soil and water resources.
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