Effects of Different Soil Cultivation Methods on Soil Structure, Soil-Water Balance, Yield and Quality in Pistachio Orchards

This study was carried out in the years 2002-2007 at Fistiklik Farm, which is under the Pistachio Research Institute Directorate's in Dry Conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of soil cultivation systems in pistachio orchards on yield, development, fruit quality characteristics, alien vegetation, the economy of mechanization in operation, and some soil physical properties. In addition, consumptions of fuel and time spent on equipment per unit area, were also determined. In the study, traditional methods applied by farmers as as well as 5 different methods of cultivation and plot design were established with three replications. Results showed that the traditional method's fuel consumption was the highest and working capacity was lower. With Traditional ( farmer conditions) Soil Cultivation Methods at the T2 ( Plough + Cultivator ( in winter with the mouldboard plow a deep version + in spring with cultivator a superficial version+ Tapan) method was found approximately 64% lower. Similarly, during the period of study of the traditional and methods of soil cultivation, the T2 method showed approximately 65% and the T1method 31% Groopman. The T2 soil cultivation method retain the highest moisture in the soil. In terms of water conservation; the retention of moisture in the soil was observed to be 12.47% more on the T2 method than the traditional soil cultivation method applied by farmers. Economically, the T2 method achieved 10.2% higher earnings than the traditional soil cultivation method.