Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center, Washington State University, Wenatchee, Washington, United States of America.
Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America.
PLoS One. 2021 Oct 28;16(10):e0258991. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258991. eCollection 2021.
Soil health assessment can be a critical soil testing tool that includes biological and physical indicators of soil function related to crop and environmental health. Soil health indicator minimum data sets should be regional and management goal specific. The objective of this study was to initiate the steps to develop a soil assessment tool for irrigated orchard soils in Central Washington, United States including defining objectives, gathering baseline data and selecting target indicators. This study measured twenty-one biological, physical and chemical properties of soils in irrigated Central Washington apple orchards including indicators of water availability, root health, fertility, and biological activity. Soil factors were related to fruit yield and quality. Principal components and nonlinear Bayesian modeling were used to explore the relationship between soil health indicators and yield. Soil indicators measurements in Washington state orchards varied widely but generally had lower organic matter, available water capacity, wet aggregate stability and higher percent sand than in other regions. Linear mixed effects models for available water capacity and percent sand showed significant effects on yield, and models for root health ratings and Pratylenchus nematodes had moderate effects. The minimum dataset of soil health indicators for Central Washington orchards should include measurements of water availability (available water capacity, percent sand) and of root health (bean root health rating, Pratylenchus nematodes) in addition to standard fertility indicators to meet stakeholder management goals.
土壤健康评估可以是一种关键的土壤测试工具，包括与作物和环境健康相关的土壤功能的生物和物理指标。土壤健康指标最小数据集应具有区域性和管理目标特异性。本研究的目的是启动为美国华盛顿州中部灌溉果园土壤开发评估工具的步骤，包括定义目标、收集基线数据和选择目标指标。本研究测量了 21 种生物、物理和化学性质的灌溉华盛顿中央苹果果园土壤，包括水分可用性、根系健康、肥力和生物活性的指标。土壤因素与水果产量和质量有关。主成分和非线性贝叶斯模型用于探索土壤健康指标与产量之间的关系。华盛顿州果园的土壤指标测量值差异很大，但与其他地区相比，有机质、有效水容量、湿团聚体稳定性和砂百分比普遍较低。可用水容量和砂百分比的线性混合效应模型显示对产量有显著影响，而根健康评分和 Pratylenchus 线虫的模型则有中度影响。华盛顿州中部果园土壤健康指标的最小数据集应包括水分可用性（有效水容量、砂百分比）和根系健康（豆根健康评分、Pratylenchus 线虫）的测量值，以及标准肥力指标，以满足利益相关者的管理目标。
