The influence of a farming system on the content and composition of humus
1999
Mucha, V. | Bujokova, S. (Slovenska Polnohospodarska Univ., Nitra (Slovak Republic))
Studies on the dynamics of the recent humus evolution within chosen farming systems (mono- and biculture) indicate a different tendency of humus composition and content changes in the soil depths investigated of Orthic Luvisol (up to 0.6 m) under the agroecologic conditions of the Zitava hills [southwestern Slovakia]. A decrease in the humus content of top-soil, more pronounced in the unfertilized variant (variant A), was observed for the monoculture growing of corn for human nutrition during all research time when compared to the initial condition (1994). Humus balance in sub-soil was positive in both trial variants (A - 0.25% increase, B - 0.21% increse). In the biculture farming system, alternating corn with spring barley, a fall in the humus content of upper soil was detected for the unfertilized variant (A) whereas the fertilized variant (B - after-harvest remnants tilled into soil + NPK) showed positive humus balance. Sub-soil had in both cases a higher humus content in comparison with the initial condition (A - 0.17 increase, B - 0.40 increase). Analytic values characterising the composition of humus substances revealed that the content of humic acids (HK) decreased and that of fulvic acids (FK) dose with the increasing soil depth. This fact manifested itself in deteriorated humus quality (HK:FK ratio in the range from 0.53 to 0.70)
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