Original research article
Efficient nutrient management is essential for sustaining fruit yield and quality in peach orchards while minimizing environmental impacts. This study evaluated the effects of reduced nitrogen (N) fertigation and the installation position of soil electrical conductivity (EC) sensors on soil nutrient dynamics, peach tree growth, and fruit productivity in an 11-year-old peach orchard in Wanju, South Korea. Treatments consisted of control, auto-irrigation with full N manual fertilization, 80% N fertigation, and 100% N fertigation. Soil EC sensors were installed at 0, 12.5, and 25 cm from drippers to monitor spatial variation in nutrient availability. Results showed that soil inorganic N and EC concentrations were highest near drippers, confirming strong spatial gradients, and decreased with distance from emitters. Peach shoot growth, and fruit yield were significantly enhanced by fertigation compared with auto-irrigation and the control. Importantly, no significant differences were observed between 80% N and 100% N fertigation, or between 80% N fertigation and manual fertilization at full N, indicating that N inputs can be reduced by 20% without compromising fruit productivity. These findings demonstrate that fertigation efficiency, coupled with proper soil EC sensor placement, can enhance fertilizer-use efficiency, reduce nutrient losses, and sustain high-quality peach production.
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10.3390/metabo1210090536295807PMC9608177- Publisher :Korean Society of Soil Science and Fertilizer
- Publisher(Ko) :한국토양비료학회
- Journal Title :Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
- Journal Title(Ko) :한국토양비료학회 학회지
- Volume : 58
- No :4
- Pages :575-589
- Received Date : 2025-10-21
- Revised Date : 2025-11-20
- Accepted Date : 2025-11-24
- DOI :https://doi.org/10.7745/KJSSF.2025.58.4.575
Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
