DOI: 10.1515/jwld-2015-0011 © Polish Academy of Sciences, Committee for Land Reclamation JOURNAL OF WATER AND LAND DEVELOPMENT and Environmental Engineering in Agriculture, 2015 2015, No. 25 (IV–VI): 37–40 © Institute of Technology and Life Sciences, 2015 PL ISSN 1429–7426 Available (PDF): http://www.itp.edu.pl/wydawnictwo/journal; http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/jwld Received 11.04.2015 Reviewed 22.04.2015 Accepted 19.05.2015 The influence of grape plantations A – study design B – data collection on morphogenetic diagnostic indicators C – statistical analysis D – data interpretation E – manuscript preparation of arid subtropical soils F – literature search Mammad İ. MAMMADOV ABCDEF National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, Institute of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, AZ 10173, M. Rahim 5, Baku, Azerbaijan For citation: Mammadov M. İ. 2015. The influence of grape plantations on morphogenetic diagnostic indicators of arid subtropical soils. Journal of Water and Land Development. No. 25 p. 37–40 Abstract Results of the study showed that cultivation of the grey-brown (chestnut) and mountain brown soils under the grape plantation changes their morphogenetic and morphological characteristics in arid subtropical climatic condition. Performed cultivation caused migration of humus into the deeper soil layers. The denser horizon formed under a soft layer. This results in a change of the soil chemical structure and water-physical properties. These changes manifested themselves under irrigative condition. Key words: diagnostic index, fertility, grape plants, morphogenetic properties, soil morphology INTRODUCTION Agricultural processes influence soil-forming The study begun by defining zone inclination and conditions. Ploughing or growing perennial plants, boghara. Stationary works and GIS were mainly used inter-row deep tillage are the reasons for soil deterio- in field studies. Some researchers were studying mor- ration and mixing its 0–30 cm top layer. Effects of phological and morphometric properties of the irri- these processes manifest themselves especially under gated grey-brown soils and their diagnostic indicators. arid climate. A characteristic pattern is formed under automorf hy- Planting and growing grapes changes soil mor- drological condition. Irrigation resulted in the change phological and morphometric parameters thus affect- of hydrological condition and established irrigation ing soil-forming process. Study of these changes is hydromorf condition [BABAYEV et al. 2006; HASA- theoretically and practically significant. These proc- NOV et al. 2014; MAMMADOV 2013; URSU, SYN- esses, their role and directions are presented in the KECICH 1988]. article. Annual air temperature was 12–13.2°C, and the The study was performed under arid subtropical sum of annual active temperature (>10S) was 4000– condition, in Shamkir, Tovuz, Agstafa, Goy-Gol of 4700 in zones covered by grey-brown soils. A frozen the Ganja-Gazakh Massif and in Shamkir and Go- layer was observed on the soil surface in some years. bustan regions of the upland Shirvan zone. Field stud- Average yearly rainfalls amounted 350–400 mm and ies were carried out in irrigated grey-brown (chestnut) moisture coefficient varied by 0.3–0.5. These climatic soils of the Ganja-Gazakh Massif and in the cultivated properties show that the grey-brown soil-forming mountain-brown soils from Shirvan Upland. The soils condition was hydromorf. It is important to say that of vineyards planted in different years were used. The the soils used under tillage and gardens are irrigated studies were performed in soils used as arable lands in and this also forms irrigation-hydromorf hydrological order to compare their morphological characteristics. condition. © Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN) in Warsaw, 2015; © Institute of Technology and Life Sciences (ITP) in Falenty, 2015 Unauthenticated Download Date | 10/5/15 7:56 PM 38 M. İ. MAMMADOV Planting and growing under these conditions ration was 800–900 mm. These natural-ecological changed soil morphological and morphometric prop- conditions produced mountain-brown soils, which are erties. These soils are of great economic importance. used without irrigation in the middle and low moun- The second study area was in the low mountain- tain zone of Shirvan Upland and spread over large ous zone of the Shamakhi and Gobustan districts. areas. Here mountain-brown soils occupy large areas and At present the agricultural processes affect soil cultivation is devoid of irrigation. formation and change its direction. Deep ploughing, Deluvial soil-forming process produced clayey- replacing natural biocoenoses by agrocoenoses, loamy, highly carbonate (CaCO3 = 15–20%) struc- treatment with chemicals and heavy mechanization ture, which positively affects grape plant development changed morphogenetic diagnostics of the investi- and especially sugar content of the crop. gated soils. Some researchers [BABAYEV, JAFAROVA Long-term mean annual air temperature was 2006; GURBANOV 2010; HASANOV et al. 2014; 11.5–12.9°C and the sum of active temperature HUSEYNOV 1972; MAMMADOV 2011; MAMMADOV (>10°C) varied from 3200 to 3500. Long-term mean 2012] confirmed consequences of these changes. annual rainfall was 591–636 mm and potential evapo- Table 1. Morphogenetic diagnostic parameters of soils Soils Morphogenetic diagnostics grey-brown irrigated grey-brown mountain brown mountain (virgin soils) (under grape) (virgin soil) (cultivated) Thickness of humic horizon, cm 55–60 60–68 54 60 Humic layer colour brownish light-brown dark-brown brown Humus structure, % Al′ Al′′ granular, small, small granular granular-heap-like, granular-soft, nut-like heap-like, nut-like heap-like small Granulometric structure light clayey medium clayey clayey clayey Silt fraction (>0.001 mm) % <25–45 26–47 61 64 Physical gley (>0.01 mm) % 50–75 53–78 60–74 62–76 Water-resistant aggregates, % (>0.25 mm) 35–45 28–32 45–50 33–38 Bulk density, g·m–3 1.12 1.28 1.06 1.15 Porosity inter-aggregates, % 47 49 52 50 Carbonate layer level 59–63 58–62 60–65 60–65 Density, g·m–3 2.66 2.67 2.63 2.63 pH 8.00 8.6 7.0 7.5 Biological activity (0–25 cm) average average average average Gypsum horizon, cm 75–80 75–80 97 98 Source: own study. Trench-ploughing is performed during the estab- granulometric structure. This in turn weakens soil lishment of vineyards and 50–60 cm thick horizons resistance to erosion. Prolonged irrigation affects top mix with each other. The amount of water-resistant 50–60 cm soil layer, which is visible in the change of aggregates is reduces after such cultivation and humic colour hues. layer is destroyed. The analyses showed variability of morphoge- During the constant cultivations, compacted zone netic diagnostic parameters in soils under grape plan- is formed by heavy tractor motion and surface flows tations and in irrigated soils. are formed after rainfalls. Soil softening around plant Long cultivation caused the establishment of roots reduces soil density and increases its porosity. a dense layer in the irrigated grey-brown and moun- These processes affected soil morphometric diagnos- tain-brown soils and this was distinctly visible in the tic parameters. A lack of slopes in the Ganja-Gazakh soil profile. Analyses of chemical and physical prop- plain is reflected by minimum changes on the soil erties of soils clearly showed this effect surface. Signs of hardening are recorded in soil sub- As already mentioned, the study was performed horizons. In such soils water permeability weakens in two regions in mountain-brown and grey-brown considerably. soils. Changes of these soils proceeded in a different Irrigation is a measure, which affects soil proc- form depending on their utilization in agriculture. Soil esses most. Here, uncontrolled water expenditures profiles were taken in unused virgin soils across ge- result in the erosion development, which depends on netic layers and analysed in order to determine these inclination. Soil leaching is a consequence of this pro- differences. Erosion of the soil in sampling area was cess. Weak erosion does not change soil morphoge- taken into account. netic diagnostic parameters much but when its amount The highest humus content was recorded in the exceeds 2.5–3.0 tons per vegetation season, it affects soils of Muganli and Madrasa municipal zones in the © PAN in Warsaw, 2015; © ITP in Falenty, 2015; No. 25 (IV–VI) Unauthenticated Download Date | 10/5/15 7:56 PM The influence of grape plantations on morphogenetic diagnostic indicators of arid subtropical soils 39 Shamakhi district. Both areas were used under vine- lyefin təsiri [Influence of the diagnostic indices and mi- yards till 1990. Since 1990 till 2000 the soils were cro-relief on grey-brown (chestnut) soils from Ganja- overgrown by grain crops and since 2005 grape plan- Gazakh Massif]. Torpaqşünaslıq və Aqrokimya əsərlər tation was restored. Gentle slopes in the area do not toplusu. Baku. Elm. Vol. 18 p. 45–51. BABAYEV M.P., JAFAROVA CH. M., HASANOV V.H. 2006. facilitate erosion. Humus content was 5.65% in culti- Azərbaycan torpaqlarının müasir təsnifatı [Modern clas- vated soils from the Madrasa municipality and 5.40% sification of Azerbaijan soils]. Baku. Elm. pp. 360. in the Muganli municipality. However, humus content BABAYEV M.P., GURBANOV E.A. 2010. Противоэрозион- in the upper 2–18 cm soil horizon from Agsu was ная стойкость орошаемых почв Азербайджанской 7.12% and that in 2–20 cm soil profile from Muganly Республики [Anti-erosion stability of irrigated soils in zone amounted 8.27%. The analyses showed that hu- the Azerbaijan Republic]. Почвоведение. No. 12 p. mus content was high in mountain brown soils, which 1501–1507. were not used for crops. The least humus content GASIMOV A.M. 2009. Ağstafaçay hövzəsfi boz-qəhvəyi (2.80 to 4.01% in the 0–25 cm soil layer) was found (şabadılı) torpaqların morfogenetik diaqnostikasına mik- rorelyefin və suvarmnın təsiri [Influence of microrelief in soils overgrown by winter wheat. There are some and irrigation on morphogenetic diagnostic of the Ag- reasons of humus depletion in these soils, the main of stafachay bank grey-brown (chestnut) soils].