논문 상세보기
pp.641-647
This study was conducted to select native ground cover plants for sod culture in an organic apple orchard by estimating the effect of three native ground cover plants, Glechoma hederacea, Thymus magnus, and Ixeris stolonifera, on the soil coverage, time-periodic weed occurrence, fruit characteristics, and soil chemical properties. The plant height of G. hederace, T. magnus and I. stolonifera were 15.0 ㎝, 13.4 ㎝ and 7.2 ㎝, respectively. The dry weight of G. hederace, T. magnus and I. stolonifera were 463 ㎏/10a, 247 ㎏/10a, and 255 ㎏/10a, respectively. The plant height and dry weight of G. hederacea were higher than in the other species. T. magnus and I. stolonifera having relatively lower soil cover rate during their life cycle produced a lot of weeds in the orchard as compared with the control. In contrast, G. hederacea showed 100 percentage of ground cover in the first year, and maintained high percentage of ground cover in the growing season of ‘Tsugaru’ apple for another 2 years. When the soil was covered with G. hederacea in the orchard for 3 years, the amount of weed was only 114 ㎏/10a and number of weeding was also reduced about 33% compared with control as well as the other species. There were no differences in the tree growth and fruit characteristics between the native ground cover plants and the control; however, positive effects of native ground cover plants on soil chemical properties were found. In G. hederacea, available P2O4content in soils remarkably increased and was a significant difference among native species. In addition, cation (Ca, Mg and K) content in soils increased by 39% in Ca, 6% in Mg, and 11% in K at G. hederacea compared with control. These results suggest that G. hederacea could be advantageous in terms of reducing the amount of herbicide applied and the labor required for weed control, and controlling soil chemical properties; therefore, it is a good candidate for sod culture in an organic apple orchard.
