Citrus orchard planted with no tillage and conventional systems

Abstract

No tillage system has brought many advantages to soil protection, without reducing the yield of annual crops. This system has been adapted for Citrus orchards, with the plantation of trees in furrows opened in areas previously occupied by pastures. This work had as objective to evaluate tree development, root system, yield, and soil characteristics in an orchard planted in two systems. The study was made in Parana State, Brazil, in a medium texture oxisol with 'Valência' orange (Citrus sinensis L.) trees with Rangpur lime rootstock (Citrus limonia Osbeck). The treatments were no tillage (furrowing and plantation) and conventional plantation (hole area plowing and disk harrowing before furrowing and plantation). The yield was 86 - 129 kg of fruits per plant, without significant difference between treatments. The plantation systems either do not affect the development of the plants, the amount of roots and the fruit quality. In the conventional plantation system the soil has greater resistance to penetration in inter rows than in the zero tillage system plantation.