Soil Management and Slope Impacts on Soil Properties, Hydrological Response, and Erosion in Hazelnut Orchard

Proper soil management is crucial to mitigate soil degradation. Hazelnut orchards are often raised on slopes and intensively managed, which makes them similar to the already defined highly erodible land uses like vineyards. This research aims to assess the impacts of soil management and the slope on the soil properties, hydrological response, and erosion in the hazelnut orchard. At eastern Croatia on Cambisols, four treatments were chosen, representing two soil managements in the study area (herbicide and mulched) on two different slope inclinations (high similar to 9 degrees and low similar to 4.5 degrees), for rainfall simulation experiments and soil sampling. The herbicide treatments on both slopes removed soil cover and reduced (p < 0.05) soil organic matter, mean weight diameter, and water-stable aggregates. Mulched treatments recorded a lower (p < 0.05) bulk density. These soil properties affected soil hydrological response, as the reduction of infiltration in herbicide plots lead to higher water and sediment losses. The higher slope increased erosion in herbicide soil to over 2.2 t ha(-1). Mulching was shown as a superior practice as it enhances soil properties and reduces soil erosion, even reducing the effect of the higher slope on erosional processes.