30 years of wheat monoculture and reduced tillage and physical condition of Rendzic Phaeozem

Abstract

In the presented study we estimated the effect of long-term application of (I) various systems of soil cultivation: (i) conventional tillage, (ii) reduced tillage and (iii) no-tillage, (II) wheat monoculture – spring and winter forms, and (III) crop rotation, on the basic physical properties of Rendzic Phaeozem. In the experiment soil physical properties were studied, such as particle density, bulk density, total porosity, air capacity (at -15.5 kPa), water content at sampling, field water capacity (at -15.5 kPa), available water content and the ratio of field water capacity and total porosity was calculated. The hypothesis that long-term wheat monoculture and/or reduced tillage have a negative effect on the soil physical condition has been verified. It should be emphasised that the long-term application of reduced tillage systems and wheat monoculture did not cause significant differences in the analysed parameters. The lowest compaction and the best conditions for gas exchange were noted in the soil on which conventional tillage was applied under spring wheat monoculture. The results of field water capacity and available water content showed that long-term application of reduced systems of soil tillage had a positive effect on the water properties of soil. Soil under the conventional tillage ensured significantly the smallest amount of water for the plants. It has been shown that long-term application of reduced tillage, as well as the form of wheat (spring or winter wheat), have a stronger impact on changes in the soil-water-air relations than long-term use of monoculture. We found out that both the use of reduced tillage and the abandonment of crop rotation in favour of monoculture can be put into safely use in agricultural practice. We believe that the application of such systems is especially valuable in emergency situations.