Survival and Growth of Peach Trees Planted in Killed Bahiagrass at an Old Orchard Site

Abstract

More peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch.] trees survived when planted in killed bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge `Paraguayan-22') sod growing between previous orchard tree rows (98%) than when planted in previous tree sites (81%) or in previous tree rows, but halfway between previous tree sites (79%). The previous orchard was removed Nov. 1986, and new trees were planted Feb. 1987. Surviving trees in the killed sod grew better than trees at the other two sites. Tilling the sites before planting did not affect nematode populations or tree survival and growth. Soaking the tree roots in a fenamiphos solution (1 g·liter -1 ) for 20 minutes before planting resulted in 79% tree survival vs. 93% survival for the nonsoaked trees. Fenamiphos sprayed under the trees at a rate of 11.2 kg·ha -1 during the spring and fall of the planting year did not change nematode populations, tree survival, or tree growth. The fenamiphos sprays reduced the increase in trunk cross-sectional area by 3 cm 2 for trees in the sod. Other than leaf Zn concentration, which was low, concentrations of the elements were within the sufficiency range for Georgia for all treatments. Trees planted in the killed sod had an increased leaf K concentration and decreased leaf Mg concentration when compared with trees planted in the rows. Chemical name used: ethyl 3-methyl-4-(methylthio)phenyl (1-methylethyl)phosphoramidate (fenamiphos).