Soil health assessment of conventional and organic grape orchards based on soil chemical properties

Soil chemical properties play a key role in determining the growth, nutrient uptake, and fruit quality of perennial crops such as grapes.This study assessed soil health based on the chemical characteristics of under different management practices and orchard ages.These nationwide soil properties datas were obtained from Heuktoram, Korea's national soil testing information system.The management systems were categorized into organic farming (OF), non-pesticide farming (NF), and conventional farming (CF), while orchard age was classified as 1 -4 years, 5 -10 years, and over 11 years.Under OF, Soil pH increased with orchard, whereas it tended to decrease under NF and CF.Soil organic matter (SOM), an indicator of soil health improvement, showed the highest content in OF orchard older than 10 years, with a 55% increase compared to 1 -4 years, while CF exhibited only a 15% increase.Available P₂O₅ (Av.P₂O₅) content increased with orchard age across all management systems.Exchangeable cation (Ex.cation) contents were generally higher in OF and CF than in NF.However, both Av.P₂O₅ and Ex.cations levels exceeded the optimal range, precise nutrient management based on soil testing is essential to prevent potential environmental pollution.The soil health index, evaluated based on soil chemical properties, was highest in OF orchards aged 5 -10 years and over 11 years, ranging from 5.16 to 5.19.This was primarily attributed to the elevated SOM index (0.63 -0.74) in these orchards, indicating that long-term organic management enhances SOM content, thereby improving soil chemical properties and promoting overall soil health.