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2025 Vol.58, Issue 1

Original research article

Effects of plowing depth on crops (watermelon, muskmelon, and squash) yield and soil chemical properties under plastic film house
Myung-sook Kim1*
,
Tae-Gu Lee2
,
Eun-jin Lee2
,
Ha-il Jung2
,
Seung-Gyu Lee3
1Agricultural Senior Researcher, Division of Soil and Fertilizer, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, RDA, Wanju 55365, Korea
2Agricultural Researcher, Division of Soil and Fertilizer, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, RDA, Wanju 55365, Korea
3Research Associate Fellowship, Division of Soil and Fertilizer, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, RDA, Wanju 55365, Korea
*Corresponding Author
28 February 2025. pp. 1-13
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Abstract

Soil plowing depth is very important in improving soil quality and promoting of crop production system. The relationship between soil plowing depth and soil chemical properties and crop yield was analyzed. Soils were sampled from 20 watermelons, 19 muskmelons, and 22 squash farms of plastic film house. The results showed that the average soil plowing depth of watermelon, melon, and squash cultivated in the plastic film house were 22 cm, 21 cm, and 27 cm, respectively. when the soil depth of watermelon and squash was deepened to 31 cm (26 - 39 cm), the levels of nitrate ion (NO3-), electrical conductivity (EC), and exchange cations (Ex. cations) decreased by 2 - 42% compared to 18 cm (14 - 24 cm). The concentration of NO3-, EC, and Ex. Potassium (Ex. K) of muskmelon cultivation with soil depth of 28 cm (26 - 36 cm) tended to decrease by 5 - 39% compared to 17 cm (14 - 22 cm). The yield of watermelon, muskmelon, and squash were increased by 6 - 22% when the soil plowing depth was 39 cm compared to 25 cm. The contribution of plowing depth to yield of 3 crops was highly significant at 13.1 - 28.2%. Therefore, deep tillage is necessary to improve soil health and increase yield of watermelon, muskmelon, and squash under plastic film house.

Contribution of soil environmental factors affecting yield of watermelon, muskmelon, and squash in farm field of plastic film house.
Variable Watermelon Muskmelon Squash
Squared partial correlation coefficient Relative contribution (%) Squared partial correlation coefficient Relative contribution (%) Squared partial correlation coefficient Relative contribution (%)
NO3- 0.04 0.8 0.15 9.8 0.01 2.8
PO43- 0.12 2.3 0.11 7.1 0.01 2.6
K+ 0.16 3.2 0.02 1.4 0.08 14.6
pH 0.35 6.9 0.3623.3 0.03 6.4
EC0.5110.0 0.00 0.1 0.02 3.7
OM 0.03 0.6 0.12 7.9 0.02 4.6
Av.P2O5 0.22 4.4 0.01 0.7 0.03 4.8
Ex.K 0.01 0.1 0.08 5.2 0.06 11.0
Ex.Ca 0.20 4.0 0.15 9.9 0.06 10.8
Ex.Mg 0.50 9.9 0.00 0.3 0.03 6.1
Plowing depth0.6613.10.3824.50.1528.2
CEC 0.42 8.2 0.00 0.2 0.01 1.3
Clay 0.16 3.1 0.15 9.6 0.02 3.2
Sum 3.37 100 1.55 100 0.52 100
Keywords
Chemical properties
Muskmelon
Plowing depth
Squash
Watermelon
Yield
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Information
  • 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 :1
  • Pages :1-13
  • Received Date : 2024-09-09
  • Revised Date : 2024-11-17
  • Accepted Date : 2024-12-06
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.7745/KJSSF.2025.58.1.001
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