Analysis of cropping patterns of medicinal and spices plants growing on prime arable land | Analýza modelu osevného postupu pre pestovanie liečivých a koreninových rastlín na ornej pôde

The research of crop rotation pattern and field homogenization was carrying out during 2000 - 2010 at company Agrokarpaty Plavnica Ltd in Slovakia. The average temperature of the site during growing period is 14.9 deg C and a sum of precipitation 438 mm. The fields are situated at 300 - 450 m above the see level. Total acreage of arable land is 380 ha. Share of medicinal plants varied from 85 ha to 145 ha during evaluated period. The main growing medicinal and spices plants are as follows: Galega officinalis L, Medicago sativa L, Hypericum perforation L, Mentha piperita L, Melissa officinalis L, Calendula officinalis L, Fagopyrum esculentum Moench, Carum carvi L, Achilea milefolium L, Agrimonia eupatoria L, Matricaria recutita L, Plantago lanceolata L, Malva mauritiana L. As a forecrop red clover (Trifolium pratense L), winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L), spring barley (Hordeum sativum L.) and oat (Avena sativa L.) have been growing. The management practices of Agrokarpaty Plavnica [company focused on drug plants production, East Slovakia] are in full compliance with the good agricultural practices (GAP). The high priority is maintenance of soil fertility and sustain of nutrients, mainly nitrogen. The green manure, cover crop, growing of legumes and compost from own productions are used. Two steps for designing have been suggested (i) Field consolidation and homogenisation of field for crop rotations area, (ii) Proposal of crop rotation pattern. The interested area is characterized by low production potential of 8 classes of soil production categories. We have proposed new cropping pattern of 14 fields with total acreage of 180.11 ha with average field 12.87 ha. Share of medicinal and spices plants is 68.27%, share of red clover 14.29% and spring cereals 17.46%. The design of propose crop rotation allows to use organic manure mainly before medicinal plants growing for leaves drug, and incorporation of cover crops for maintenance of soil fertility. Supposed crop rotation pattern complies with basic principles of crop rotation and sustainable agriculture.