Abstract
Our objective was to study the effect of fertilization on soil chemical traits on an olive orchard (artificially irrigated), considering areas with or without a cover crop, in southwestern Buenos Aires, Argentina, during the period 2020/2021. Fertilization treatments were (1) organic manure applied to the soil near the tree trunk; inorganic fertilization applied to the (2) soil or (3) to the leaves of Olea europaea L. trees; and (4) unfertilized control. Seeding of Vicia benghalensis L. and Avena sativa L. around subplots (one per each of the four studied treatments) constituted the areas with a cover crop. Subplots which were not seeded corresponded to the control areas. Soil pH was lower (p<0.05) under organic and inorganic soil fertilization. In areas without a cover crop in April 2021, soil nitrate concentrations were greater (p<0.05) under organic soil fertilization than in the control. At 0-20 cm soil depth, P concentrations were greater (p<0.05) under organic and inorganic soil fertilizations than in the other treatments. The greatest (p<0.05) K concentrations were found in the organic fertilization treatment. Organic soil fertilization on areas without a cover crop showed greater values for the soil chemical studied traits.