The use of sustainable agronomic practices and grazing to manage organic olive orchards in western Australia
The massive destruction of native forest plants and the planting of annual, herbaceous plants through.ley farming on a surface of over 20 million hectares, has resulted in distinctly adverse environmental changes in Western Australia.There has been a dramatic rising of the water table due to the shallow root systems of herbaceous plants and the removal of deep rooted native trees.This has lead to substantial salt accumulation on the soils surface on approximately five million hectares.It is likely that this salt affected area will double in the next few decades (W.A.Gov., 1996).In order to prevent further environmental degradation, agronomic practices such as intensive re‐forestation with trees and shrubs of both native and exotic species should be implemented (AAVV,1998).In addition,perennial tree consociation with annual crops and pasture is also necessary.The olive is an ideal species to be consociated with deep‐rooted perennial herbaceous species (Faiello et al., 2003).The plants vigorous root system develops extensively, absorbing substantial water and thereby contributing to reduction of the water table.The initial competition between the olive and herbaceous species could be reduced by livestock grazing.This would contribute to diversifying farm production‐i.e.the implementation of organic and sustainable agronomic systems resulting in high quality productions.
organic management root length biomass native pasture
Faiello C. Pardini A Litjens L.
Curtin University of Technology,Muresk Institute,Bentley,Western Australia-C University of Florence-Piazzale Cascine 18-50144 Firenze(I ) andrea Freelance writer and editor-l
国际会议
呼和浩特
英文
2008-06-29（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）