Effects of Intercropping Morchella Between Apple Tree Rows on Soil Physicochemical Properties and Tree Performance

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Mycology
• Horticulture

Background:

• Orchard intercropping systems offer potential for diversifying agricultural production.
• Investigating the impact of mushroom cultivation on soil health and crop performance is crucial for sustainable agriculture.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effects of interplanting Morchella (morel mushrooms) in apple orchards on soil properties, apple tree performance, and mushroom yield and quality.

Main Methods:

• A field experiment was conducted using a cultivation system with small-arch tunnels and plastic film covering.
• Morchella was interplanted in a five-year-old apple orchard, with control plots without Morchella.
• Measurements included mushroom and apple quality, leaf photosynthesis, and soil physicochemical properties and enzyme activities at different depths.

Main Results:

• Intercropping Morchella yielded 1333.74 g/m² of fresh mushrooms with enhanced nutritional quality.
• Cultivated plots showed improved soil water content, pH, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, organic carbon, catalase, and sucrase activity in the topsoil (0-20 cm).
• Apple fruit quality (fresh weight, sugar content) and tree photosynthetic performance (transpiration rate, stomatal conductance) were significantly improved.

Conclusions:

• Interplanting Morchella in apple orchards is agronomically feasible, producing high-quality mushrooms.
• This practice enhances soil physicochemical properties in the upper soil layer and improves apple tree photosynthetic performance.
• The combined benefits highlight the practical potential of Morchella intercropping for sustainable orchard production.