Analisi dei flussi di respirazione del suolo in un agrumento sottoposto a differenti pratiche irrigue e di gestione del suolo (Comparative Analysis Of Soil Respiration In A Citrus Orchard Under Different Soil And Water Management Practices)

The role of soil carbon dioxide (CO2) is difficult to be quantified, being mainly dominated by soil microbial biomass and plant roots activity. The purpose of this study was to compare the CO2 flux rates obtained by carrying-out soil respiration measurements with an ad hoc designed accumulation chambers in an orange orchard subjected to different irrigation regimes (full irrigation, FI, and regulated deficit irrigation, RDI) and soil management practices (bare soil versus organic mulching cover). Preliminary results showed that the CO2 activity was greater in the treatments subjected to FI than RDI strategies under both bare soil and organic mulching, showing average values of 0.10 ± 0.01 mg m-2 s-1 and 0.08 ± 0.01 mg m-2 s-1 and 0.10 ± 0.03 mg m-2 s-1 and 0.08 ± 0.03 mg m-2 s-1 respectively.