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Assessment of Soil Injection Treatments in Street Tree Beds: Impacts on Soil Microclimate and Foliar NDVI
by
Jindřiška Jeřábková
Jindřiška Jeřábková
Jindřiška Jeřábková received a bachelor’s degree in Floral Design (2020) from Mendel in Brno [...]
Jindřiška Jeřábková received a bachelor’s degree in Floral Design (2020) from Mendel University in Brno and a master’s degree in Horticultural Engineering (2022) from the same university. She is currently pursuing a PhD at the Department of Horticultural Machinery, Mendel University in Brno. Her professional experience includes managing long-term field research and technical monitoring of urban tree sites. Her main research interests include tree vitality, urban forestry, soil injection technology, sub-surface application of soil amendments, and non-destructive physiological monitoring.
,
Viera Paganová
Viera Paganová
Viera Paganová is a full professor at the Institute of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of and of in [...]
Viera Paganová is a full professor at the Institute of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Horticulture and Landscape Engineering, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Slovakia (SUA), and Head of the Laboratory for Modelling Urban Environment and Landscape at the AgroBioTech Research Centre in Nitra. She earned an MSc in forestry (1991) and a PhD in phytology and genetics (1995) from the Technical University in Zvolen. Her research and teaching career at SUA began in 1995 and progressed from assistant professor to associate professor (2004–2009) and full professor (since 2009). She specializes in phenotyping, ecophysiology, biodiversity, urban forestry, and tree management, and serves as an expert in environmental protection and dendrology. Viera is a member of the Slovak Botanical Society.
Jana Burgová
Jana Burgová
Jana Burgová received her PhD in Horticulture from Mendel University in Brno (2013). She currently [...]
Jana Burgová received her PhD in Horticulture from Mendel University in Brno (2013). She currently serves as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Breeding and Propagation of Horticultural Plants at Mendel University in Brno. Her professional experience includes extensive research in plant propagation, biotechnology, and the physiological responses of horticultural crops to environmental stress. Her main research interests include propagation of plants, nursery management, mycorrhizal symbioses, plant-soil interactions, and the evaluation of innovative soil management practices for enhancing tree vitality and establishment in urban landscapes.
Petr Salaš
Petr Salaš
Petr Salaš received his PhD in Horticulture from Mendel University in Brno in 1995 and completed in [...]
Petr Salaš received his PhD in Horticulture from Mendel University in Brno in 1995 and completed his habilitation (Associate
Professor) in 2004. He currently serves as an Associate Professor and the Head of the Department of Breeding and Propagation of Horticultural Plants at Mendel University in Brno. He has extensive professional experience in nursery production, woody plant propagation, and long-term research on plant performance in urban environments. His main research interests include urban forestry, nursery management, plant stress physiology, and the development of innovative methodologies for the successful establishment and maintenance of greenery in challenging urban conditions.
Patrik Burg
Patrik Burg
Patrik Burg was appointed Associate Professor in 2007 and attained the rank of Full Professor in He [...]
Patrik Burg was appointed Associate Professor in 2007 and attained the rank of Full Professor in 2017. He currently serves as the Dean of the Faculty of Horticulture at Mendel University in Brno and is the Head of the Department of Horticultural Machinery. He has extensive professional experience in the development, evaluation, and optimization of technological systems for viticulture, horticulture, and the maintenance of urban greenery, with a strong emphasis on improving plant production efficiency and environmental sustainability. His research focuses on horticultural engineering, machinery and soil management, technical monitoring of plants, and the implementation of precision technologies. In recent years, his work has been particularly directed toward innovations in production horticulture, including the evaluation of the technical and economic efficiency of machinery and production technologies. He has achieved significant research results in the composting of biodegradable waste from vineyards, the application of composts in horticulture, and the assessment of soil compaction in perennial crops. His research also encompasses technologies for the production of secondary raw materials and bioenergy products
1
Department of Horticultural Machinery, Faculty of Horticulture, Mendel University in Brno, Valtická 337, 69144 Lednice, Czech Republic
2
Institute of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Horticulture and Landscape Engineering, Slovak University of Agriculture, Tulipánová 7, 94976 Nitra, Slovakia
3
Department of Breeding and Propagation of Horticultural Plants, Faculty of Horticulture, Mendel University in Brno, Valtická 337, 69144 Lednice, Czech Republic
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Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Forests 2026, 17(9), 1120; https://doi.org/10.3390/f17091120 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 29 July 2026
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Revised: 15 September 2026
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Accepted: 16 September 2026
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Published: 19 September 2026
Abstract
This study evaluated the effects of soil injection treatments, including aeration, hydrogel application, and mycorrhizal inoculation, on the soil hydrothermal regime and foliar NDVI of young street trees (Prunus serrulata) under real urban conditions. The experiment was conducted during three growing seasons (2023–2025) at two sites with contrasting soil structural properties. Soil moisture, temperature, and leaf-level NDVI were monitored to assess treatment effects and temporal variability. Soil moisture responses to the treatments were site-dependent, with Aeration and the combined Mycorrhiza + Hydrogel treatment showing contrasting responses between the two sites. Aeration showed site-dependent effects, improving soil moisture conditions in compacted clay soils, but providing limited benefits in coarse-textured soils. The amendment treatments, all of which included Aeration, showed variable responses relative to Aeration alone. Soil temperature responses were less consistent, with no significant effects of Site, Treatment or their interaction. Differences in NDVI associated with the combined Mycorrhiza + Hydrogel treatment were detected during the following two growing seasons. The results highlight that soil injection treatments can contribute to urban tree management; however, their effects are site-dependent and should be evaluated through long-term monitoring.
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MDPI and ACS Style
Jeřábková, J.; Paganová, V.; Burgová, J.; Salaš, P.; Burg, P.
Assessment of Soil Injection Treatments in Street Tree Beds: Impacts on Soil Microclimate and Foliar NDVI. Forests 2026, 17, 1120.
https://doi.org/10.3390/f17091120
AMA Style
Jeřábková J, Paganová V, Burgová J, Salaš P, Burg P.
Assessment of Soil Injection Treatments in Street Tree Beds: Impacts on Soil Microclimate and Foliar NDVI. Forests. 2026; 17(9):1120.
https://doi.org/10.3390/f17091120
Chicago/Turabian Style
Jeřábková, Jindřiška, Viera Paganová, Jana Burgová, Petr Salaš, and Patrik Burg.
2026. "Assessment of Soil Injection Treatments in Street Tree Beds: Impacts on Soil Microclimate and Foliar NDVI" Forests 17, no. 9: 1120.
https://doi.org/10.3390/f17091120
APA Style
Jeřábková, J., Paganová, V., Burgová, J., Salaš, P., & Burg, P.
(2026). Assessment of Soil Injection Treatments in Street Tree Beds: Impacts on Soil Microclimate and Foliar NDVI. Forests, 17(9), 1120.
https://doi.org/10.3390/f17091120
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