EFFECT OF MULCHING TECHNIQUES AND IRRIGATION ON GROWTH AND PHENOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF TWO GROUNDCOVER SPECIES Frangi P.1, Ferrini F.2, Vercesi R.2, Amoroso G.1 1 Fondazione Minoprio – Centro MiRT, Viale Raimondi, 54 - 22070 Vertemate con Minoprio (CO) 2 Dipartimento di Produzione Vegetale – Università di Milano, Via Celoria, 2 – 20133, Milano keywords: biomass, chlorophyll, mulching bark Abstract The influence of different management techniques on plant growth and on some phenological characteristics was monitored on two groundcover shrubs over a two-year period after planting. The research was carried out on Rosa hybrida and Lonicera pileata plants planted in an experimental plot located at the Fondazione Minoprio (Como) in the North of Italy. Treatments included: 1) mulching with pine bark; 2) mulching with black polyethylene (PE) film; 3) bare soil with the use of herbicide. Plants were then subjected to two different irrigation regimes: a) no irrigation; b) drip irrigation. The results showed that biomass accumulation, chlorophyll content and phenology, were affected by soil management while irrigation did not show significant effects. Besides, different behaviour were observed according to the species. Introduction Materials and Methods 1 Results and Discussion Tab. 1 - Effect of soil management and of irrigation on leaf chlorophyll content and on growth in Lonicera pileata (μg/cm2). I valori contrassegnati da lettere diverse differiscono per p ≤ 0.05. Tesi Suolo nudo Corteccia Telo p-value Irriguo Asciutto p-value Clorofilla (μg/cm2) biomassa (g) 2002 2003 2002 2003 18.45 b 20.66 b 72.38 n.s. 122.3 b 18.97 ab 22.03 a 74.74 184.55 a 20.25 a 21.27 ab 70.08 148.7 ab 0.051 0.010 0.810 0.006 Numero di rami 2002 2003 6.97 n.s. 7.42 b 7.00 10.08 a 7.83 8.17 b 0.332 0.015 Diametro piante 2002 2003 93.54 n.s 100.29n.s. 96.38 117.13 93.29 123.96 0.873 0.071 19.10 n.s 19.35 0.681 7.17 n.s. 9.00 n.s. 7.33 8.11 0.763 0.228 90.72 n.s 98.08 0.179 21.94 a 20.69 b 0.001 65.76 b 79.04 a 0.030 146.88 n.s. 156.83 0.498 2 114.56n.s. 113.03 0.885 Tab. 2 - Effect of soil management on leaf chlorophyll content, biomass production and flower number (only 2003) in Rosa hybrida (μg/cm2). I valori contrassegnati da lettere diverse differiscono per p ≤ 0.05. Suolo nudo Corteccia Telo p-value Clorofilla (μg/cm2) 2002 2003 18.95 n.s. 17.03 n.s. 19.68 16.78 20.03 16.95 0.149 0.873 biomassa (g) 2002 2003 41.38 b 238.57 n.s. 50.55 b 221.80 59.29 a 185.32 0.009 0.147 Fiori (n°) 1° fioritura 2° fioritura 22.67 b 13.00 n.s. 25.33 b 13.63 37.10 a 13.50 0.000 0.893 Irriguo Asciutto p-value 18.70 b 20.41 a 0.001 45.18 b 55.63 a 0.025 32.40 a 24.33 b 0.000 Tesi 16.47 b 17.37 a 0.028 188.73 b 241.74 a 0.022 Fig. 1 -…………………………………………………. Fig. 2 - …………………………… 3 13.98 n.s. 12.78 0.298 Conclusions Aknowledgements Sperimentazione effettuata con finanziamento della Regione Lombardia – D. G. Agricoltura: “Progetto di Sperimentazione Regionale sul Florovivaismo” (d.g.r. n. 7/13077 del 23.05 2003). Bibliografia 1. Carlson C.R., 2000. Mulching basics: are you covered? Grounds Maintenance, Nov. 2000 2. Gleason M.L., Iles J.K., 1998. Mulch matters. Amer. Nurs., Febr 15th:24-28. 3. Harris R.W, Clark J.R., Matheny N.P., 2004. Arboriculture, 4rd Ed.. Prentice Hall Inc., New Jersey. 4. Margotti A., 2000. Irrigazione e risparmio idrico nel verde pubblico. Riv. Irr. Dren., 47(3):3-6. 5. Rakow D.A., 1992. The types and the uses of mulch in the landscape. Cornell Coop. Ext. Factsheet page 700.10. 4