Tree uptake of excess nutrients and herbicides in a maize-olive tree cultivation system

ABSTRACT

Due to the extent of non-point source agricultural pollution, protective measures to control agrochemicals from entering aquatic systems are necessary. Measures may include, among others, vegetated buffer strips (VFS), no spray buffer zones, alley crops and agroforestry systems (AFS). The scope of the present work is to examine the pollution abatement potential of a maize-olive (MO) AFS. The efficiency of a combined MO trees system in reducing nutrients and herbicides is tested through soil monitoring in an experimental plot, located in Koropi, Eastern Attica, Greece, in the period May 2015 to November 2015. The monitored pollutants were nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as two herbicides: pendimethalin and nicosulfuron. Soil samples were collected every 3–5 weeks at various soil horizons and distances from the tree row. Pollutant concentrations were determined using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS), ion chromatography (IC) and spectrophotometry techniques. The studied MO tree system exhibited the potential to reduce pollutant migration, with removals ranging 36.8–78.9% for , 79.3–100% for , 76.7–100% for , 79.4–100% for and 70–100% for the examined herbicides. The higher removal percentages were observed in the upper soil layers (5–35 cm, below the crops), and where the finer tree roots extend. Thus, the results indicate that planting of trees in cultivated fields can contribute to the reduction of agrochemical pollution of the subsurface soil and in extension of groundwater.

KEYWORDS:

• Agroforestry
• herbicides
• nutrients
• soils
• pollution mitigation

Funding

The authors acknowledge funding from Hellenic State Scholarships Foundation (IKY) and Siemens through the Research Scholarship Program “Research Projects for Excellence IKY/SIEMENS,” Grant no. 2603.