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Investigating the potential of medicinal perennial species as permanent cover crops in deciduous orchards and vineyards
Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2023
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| _version_ | 1867613867406786560 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Petzer, Heleen |
| author2 | Stone, Wendy |
| author_browse | Petzer, Heleen Stone, Wendy |
| author_facet | Stone, Wendy Petzer, Heleen |
| author_sort | Petzer, Heleen |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/127124 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:42:57.574Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publishDateRange | 2023 |
| publishDateSort | 2023 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/127124 Investigating the potential of medicinal perennial species as permanent cover crops in deciduous orchards and vineyards Petzer, Heleen Stone, Wendy Lotze, Elmi Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Agrisciences. Dept. of Horticulture. Prunus salicina -- Stellenbosch (South Africa) -- Welgevallen Deciduous orchards -- Soils -- Moisture Intercropping -- Environmental aspects -- Stellenbosch (South Africa) -- Welgevallen Cover crops -- Economic aspects -- Robertson (South Africa) -- Bon Vallon Farm Vineyards -- South Africa -- Management Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Western Cape Soils -- Quality Soils -- Effect of temperature on Plums -- Irrigation -- South Africa UCTD Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2023. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Two intercropping trials were conducted, one was on Welgevallen research Farm in Stellenbosch in a plum orchard (Prunus salicina), on a heavy clay soil with limited irrigation during 2022, with a selection of five commercially available medicinal cover crop species (Salvia rosemarinus, Artemisia afra, Pelargonium capitatum, Helichrysum crispum and Eriocephalus africanus). The other was an established trial on Bon Vallon Farm in Robertson (2019) in a Chardonnay vineyard, on a sandy clay loam soil with limited irrigation during its establishment and a selection of four fynbos medicinal cover crop species (Salvia rosemarinus, Artemisia afra, Helichrysum crispum and Eriocephalus africanus). The trial at Welgevallen investigated cover crops during establishment, while the Robertson trial investigated an already-established cover cropping system. Similar parameters were investigated to evaluate the scientific impact and economic potential of both. A literature review was conducted to evaluate how medicinal cover crops affect soil health, and how they contribute to a more sustainable and low input agricultural system. The contrast between conventional farming and diversified farming practices was investigated, focusing on the use of perennial medicinal species as a more sustainable approach for crop production systems. The effect of the different medicinal cover crop species was quantified using several parameters including evaporation rates, soil temperature, chemical parameters and soil nutrients, survival rates, plant cover, weed density, climate, snail presence and the harvest of medicinal cover crop biomass for a potential secondary income. Findings showed that in a deciduous orchard, A. afra and S. rosemarinus were the most successful medicinal species at establishment. A. afra was the most efficient in weed suppression. A. afra resulted in a significantly higher biomass return per hectare, although none of the treatments resulted in a secondary income with regard to the calculations in our study. The three-year established trial showed that the efficiency of all medicinal cover crops for weed suppression increased as the season progressed. Both S. rosemarinus and H. crispum had significant effects on the evaporation rates compared to the control treatment. For soil temperature, there was a significant difference between the control compared to all other treatments. No treatments resulted in a secondary income after one harvest, although A. afra and S. rosemarinus were the most beneficial medicinal species over both trials regarding environmental and economic sustainability in the long-term. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar. Masters 2023-03-03T12:53:09Z 2023-05-18T07:05:28Z 2023-03-03T12:53:09Z 2023-05-18T07:05:28Z 2023-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/127124 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 87 pages : illustrations (some color) application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Prunus salicina -- Stellenbosch (South Africa) -- Welgevallen Deciduous orchards -- Soils -- Moisture Intercropping -- Environmental aspects -- Stellenbosch (South Africa) -- Welgevallen Cover crops -- Economic aspects -- Robertson (South Africa) -- Bon Vallon Farm Vineyards -- South Africa -- Management Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Western Cape Soils -- Quality Soils -- Effect of temperature on Plums -- Irrigation -- South Africa UCTD Petzer, Heleen Investigating the potential of medicinal perennial species as permanent cover crops in deciduous orchards and vineyards |
| title | Investigating the potential of medicinal perennial species as permanent cover crops in deciduous orchards and vineyards |
| title_full | Investigating the potential of medicinal perennial species as permanent cover crops in deciduous orchards and vineyards |
| title_fullStr | Investigating the potential of medicinal perennial species as permanent cover crops in deciduous orchards and vineyards |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating the potential of medicinal perennial species as permanent cover crops in deciduous orchards and vineyards |
| title_short | Investigating the potential of medicinal perennial species as permanent cover crops in deciduous orchards and vineyards |
| title_sort | investigating the potential of medicinal perennial species as permanent cover crops in deciduous orchards and vineyards |
| topic | Prunus salicina -- Stellenbosch (South Africa) -- Welgevallen Deciduous orchards -- Soils -- Moisture Intercropping -- Environmental aspects -- Stellenbosch (South Africa) -- Welgevallen Cover crops -- Economic aspects -- Robertson (South Africa) -- Bon Vallon Farm Vineyards -- South Africa -- Management Sustainable agriculture -- South Africa -- Western Cape Soils -- Quality Soils -- Effect of temperature on Plums -- Irrigation -- South Africa UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/127124 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT petzerheleen investigatingthepotentialofmedicinalperennialspeciesaspermanentcovercropsindeciduousorchardsandvineyards |