Abstract
Calafate (Berberis microphylla G. Forst.) produces fruits with a high antioxidant activity. There is limited information on the effect of compost application on the soil properties and physicochemical parameters of fruits. A 2-year compost fertilization experiment was conducted in a calafate orchard established in 2017. The effects of compost fertilization (0, 5, 10, and 15 t ha−1 of compost) on soil, plant, and fruit were evaluated. The treatments with 5 and 10 t ha−1 compost, without significant differences between them, significantly improved soil fluorescein diacetate activity (FDA) by 18% and basal respiration by 43% compared to the control. The 10 t ha−1 treatment resulted in a 42% increase in leaf area index and a 68% increase in chlorophyll compared to the other treatments including the control. Likewise, the 10 t ha−1 treatment also had a 200% higher fruit yield than the control and achieved a fruit oxygen radical absorbance antioxidant capacity (ORAC) of 3029 μmol TE 100 g−1 FW. The 15 t ha−1 treatment had the highest fruit production 3.8 t ha−1, but it decreased soluble solid concentration by 28% and ORAC to 2526 μmol TE 100 g−1 FW. Multivariate analysis revealed a positive correlation between FDAse activity and fruit antioxidant activity (r = 0.61). Compost application at varying doses enhances FDAse activity and basal soil respiration. Notably, a dose of 10 t ha−1 is recommended to boost FDAse activity and basal soil respiration. This, in turn, results in a substantial increase in the antioxidant activity of the calafate fruit after a 2-year application period.
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Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge and thank the technicians of the Chemical Analysis Laboratory, Department of Plant Production, Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Chile. Also, thanks to thesis and undergraduate students of the Universidad Adventista de Chile for their contribution to the physiological measurements of plants and fruit harvest. Thanks to the Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo (ANID) scholarship (21201481/2020). Thanks to the Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIA), Chile, for providing equipment for physiological measurements in the field.
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This work was supported by research projects Nº105 the Universidad Adventista de Chile, Fondecyt Regular Nº 1220435 and scholarship 21201481/2020 the Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo (ANID) adjudicated by Universidad de Concepción, Chile.
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Conceptualization, M.S., J.R.-S., and M.D.L; methodology, R.V-R., M.S., J.R.-S., M.B., and M.D.L.; software, M.B. and M.D.L.; validation, M.S., J.R.-S., and M.D.L.; formal analysis, M.S., J.R.-S., and M.B.; investigation, R.V-R., M.B., M.S., J.R.-S., and M.D.L.; resources, M.S., M.D.L., and J.R.-S.; data curation, M.B., M.S., J.R.-S., and M.D.L.; writing—original draft preparation, M.B., M.S., J.R.-S., and M.D.L.; writing—review and editing, J.R.-S., M.S., and M.D.L.; project administration, M.S. and J.R.-S.; funding acquisition, R.V-R., M.S., J.R.-S., and M.D.L. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
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Betancur, M., Retamal-Salgado, J., López, M.D. et al. Enhancing Soil Health and Fruit Quality in Calafate Orchards Through Sustainable Amendments. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 24, 1235–1249 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-024-01625-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-024-01625-z