Description of the Business As Usual (BAU)
Bare soil in the inter-rows of woody crops is undergone by removing any organic material and without any other application of external material. In the inter-row it can be achieved by tilling/ burying any plant material or with herbicide. Pre-emergence herbicide to avoid nascence of vegetation or/and several post- emergence herbicide applications. Sometimes, herbicide controlled bare soil is complemented with a pass of a secondary implement (tine harrow) to break superficial crust.
Description of the system change
Mulching is the practice of covering the soil with mulch. Mulch is a layer of material(s) that covers the soil surface, usually organic material such as stubble, plant residues, or pruning residues. Mulching is, mainly, a water-conservation technique that increases water infiltration into the soil, retards soil erosion, and reduces surface runoff. The mulch reduces direct evaporation, improving the soil water balance. Furthermore, the C released from the residue decomposition is a carbon input into the soil that improves organic carbon. In permanent crops, mulching can be conducted in the inter-rows by on-farm material, such as pruning residues applied on the ground or living groundcovers after control. Living groundcovers must be controlled when it may compete with the main crop (tree or vine) for water and nutrients. It may occur in a phenologically sensitive stage, such as flowering. The timing of control depends on the meteorology throughout the season, the type of groundcover, and the main crop species. The control could be needed more than once a year. The groundcover residues generated after chemical weeding or mechanical mowing create a natural mulch that protects the soil until the vegetation emerges the following season.
Soil management in the area under the canopy (tree row) can be conducted as BAU. Weeds can be controlled by herbicide (under integrated weed management) or mechanically with an adapter mower. Hand brush cutter and grazing are other strategies for weed control. Other strategies for weed control include hand brushing, cutting, and grazing. When grazing is used, the amount of mulch should be monitored to prevent excessive biomass reduction and ensure the continued benefits of mulching and the potential for carbon sequestration. In vineyards or super- intensive orchards (1200–2500 trees/ha), an inter-vine mower/ blade is also used to remove weeds by mowing or tilling the tree rows. In the inter-row area, the mulching system helps control weeds by restricting light and preventing soil-seed contact, therefore, reducing weed germination.