The observations of the economic and ecological benefits of 6 types of natural vegetation management measures for three years on red soil erosion in hilly orchards showed that:(1) water-soil losses: as compared with the check of "clean tillage"

the surface runoff of treatments of sod culture

paraquat

glyphosate

G-G-P(glyphosate-glyphosate-paraquat)

P-P-G(paraquat-paraquat-glyphosate) could be reduced by 38.8%

42.5%

18.7%

28.7% and 37.5%

respectively

then to reduce the soil-water losses by 55.5%

51.7%

39.9%

46.8% and 50.0%

respectively

as well as to decrease the N

P

K nutrients losses by 60.3%

50.2%

37.0%

41.8% and 45.4%.(2) Weed regeneration ratios: the weed regeneration ratios with the treatments of tillage without herbicide

paraquat

glyphosate

G-G-P

P-P-G and were reduced by 55.1%

67.2%

30.3%

36.8%

51.2%

respectively

as compared with the sod culture.(3) Soil fertility: the five treatments of sod culture

paraquat

glyphosate

G-G-P and P-P-G could enhance the annual soil nutrients(N P K OM) by 7.1%

6.9%

5.3%

6.2% and 6.6%

respectively

while the tillage without herbicide reduced by 4.4 %

as compared with the original soil.(4)Yield and quality of citrus: the yields of the treatments of paraquat

glyphosate

G-G-P and P-P-G all to be increased by 7%~10%

except of the treatment of sod culture;and the contents of soluble solid

total sugar

total acidity

sugar/acid ratio and single fruit weight of citrus all to be exceeded the difference significant levels among the treatments.The treatment of paraquat showed better effect on the control of weeds

so suggested to extend it as the available natural vegetation management measure on hilly red soil citrus orchard for maintaining the water-soil and enhancing the soil fertility.