Confronto tra diverse gestioni della flora infestante in un nuovo impianto di melo e valutazione dell'impatto sulla qualità della produzione

This paper reports the results of a three-year study (2023–2025) conducted to evaluate two different weed management strategies in apple orchards, from planting until the end of the training phase (third year). The trial compared a conventional chemical weed control strategy with a biodegradable mulch film made of Mater-Bi, applied immediately after planting. During the first two years, weed control was complete under both strategies. In 2025 the advanced degradation of the mulch film did not allow effective weed suppression throughout the entire growing season and for this reason mechanical weed control was integrated during the summer. The main production parameters did not show substantial differences between the two weed management treatments, while a significant difference emerged when compared with the untreated control, both in terms of yield and in the nutrient content of leaf and fruits. These findings confirm the strong water-nutrient competition exerted by weeds in young orchards. Furthermore, the lack of weed management in the untreated control resulted in a complete absence of flowering in spring 2025, in contrast with a satisfactory return bloom observed in both the chemically treated and mulched plots