https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Index en-us 5 https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:28558 Wed 19 Apr 2023 15:20:12 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:29167 Wed 15 Mar 2023 11:50:00 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:4111 Wed 12 May 2021 23:23:21 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:3951 Wed 12 May 2021 20:17:22 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:26591 Wed 12 May 2021 20:00:07 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:26592 Wed 12 May 2021 19:00:54 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:3889 Wed 12 May 2021 17:25:00 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:30011 Wed 12 May 2021 16:12:08 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:3945 Wed 12 May 2021 16:02:01 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:3962 Wed 12 May 2021 15:47:57 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:42951 Wed 12 May 2021 13:46:56 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:41030 Wed 05 Apr 2023 11:50:25 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:28475 Tue 14 Mar 2023 08:48:02 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:4136 Thu 13 May 2021 10:28:15 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:4159 Thu 13 May 2021 06:40:48 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:4167 Thu 13 May 2021 02:19:26 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:30022 Thu 13 May 2021 01:46:09 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:4166 Thu 13 May 2021 01:35:56 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:28533 Thu 09 Mar 2023 09:44:15 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:28298 Sat 01 Jul 2023 12:28:13 SAST ]]> https://commons.ru.ac.za/vital/access/manager/Repository/vital:28557 60 cm in well-prepared soils, microbial enzyme activities in the soil depth intervals corresponding to the lower rootzone, were also investigated. This research was carried out in a randomized field trial. Finally, to gain a broader understanding of the effects of contrasting soil management systems on soil microbiology under a greater variety of environmental conditions, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungal dynamics were explored in a survey of commercial apple orchards. These orchards were selected to span the range of environmental conditions that occur in the apple production areas of the Western Cape. Orchard soils under ORG management promoted richer microbial ecosystems, and appeared to be better able to sustain community metabolic diversity and, by inference, the functions mediated by soil microbial communities, than those under CON management. This implies that ORG approaches possibly afford a better option to sustain critical ecosystem functions than CON management. This possibly explains why use of straw mulches and compost in accordance with ORG practices, compared with CON practices, promoted β-glucosidase, acid phosphatase and urease activities rather than affecting the abundance of the micro-organisms that produce these enzymes. Enzyme activities in the 0–30 cm soil intervals were also more effectively promoted by ORG than CON practices, although no differences were observed at lower depth intervals. ORG practices promoted functional AM associations more effectively than CON practices, but the abundance of glomalin, a beneficial by-product of AM fungi, was unaffected. The greater enzyme activities and higher root colonisation levels in the ORG treatments probably contributed to improved nutritional effects that caused greater vegetative growth, but lower yields, in the ORG treatments. Yield suppression was conceivably due to excessive vegetative growth induced by oversupply of compost and the mineral nutrients contained therein. The survey of Western Cape apple orchards suggested that neither glomalin nor root colonisation bore any specific relationship to production area, cultivation practice, scion x rootstock combination, or, in the case of root colonisation, with any chemical parameters. However, the effect of season on glomalin was conclusively shown, being higher in summer than in spring, as was the lack of any effect of year on glomalin and root colonisation. Collectively, these results showed that ORG soil management promote soil microbiology, soil nutrient status, and apple tree performance compared to CON management.]]> Mon 24 Apr 2023 10:18:55 SAST ]]>