Effect of winter crop and minimized tillage on soil physical properties
2005
Velykis, A. (Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture, Joniskelis, Pasvalys distr. (Lithuania). Research Station), E-mail: [email protected] | Satkus, A. (Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture, Joniskelis, Pasvalys distr. (Lithuania). Research Station)
Investigations of a decrease of soil physical degradation were carried out over the period 1998-2002 at the Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture Joniskelis Research Station on glacial lacustrine clay loam on silty clay Gleyic Cambisol (CMg-n-w-can). Investigated were Factors A and B. Factor A: rotations with different area of winter and spring crops (1. Without winter crops; 2.25% of winter crops; 3.50% of winter crops; 4.75% of winter crops; 5. 100% of winter crops) growing annual and perennial grass, spring and winter wheat, triticale and barley. Factor B: soil tillage systems: 1. Conventional (primary tillage-ploughing by mouldboard plough); 2. Sustainable (mouldboard ploughing after grass, mouldboardless loosening after cereals). An increase of the winter crop area in rotations allowed to decrease soil compaction from intense to medium and overdrawing of the critical compaction limit, preservation of a richer water productive reserve by 37.3%, improvement of water and air ratio and an increase of crop productivity in rotations by 44.7%. Application of sustainable primary soil tillage allowed to preserve an intensive soil compaction level, less aeration porosity by 8.0% in the lower topsoil layer; all topsoil reached the physical maturity more unifor-mely before sowing, however, the grain yield of cereals was by 6.4% lower than after convectional soil tillage. Spring cereals were more sensitive to minimizing primary soil tillage than winter cereals
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