AGROPHYSICАL STATE OF SODDY SOILS OF THE TRANSCARPATHIAN LOWLAND

Abstract

Problem Statement and Purpose. Soddy soils are the basis of agricultural land of the Transcarpathian lowland. They have been long and extensively used mainly for arable land, are intensive anthropogenic pressure leading to physical degradation. However, there is not much data on soddy soils of the Transcarpathian lowland in the scientific literature. Therefore, the studies of agrophysical state of arable soddy soil, degradation processes development, methods for the optimization of the physical properties are quite important.The purpose of the research is to characterize the current agrophysical state of arable soils of the Transcarpathian lowland. The object of research – arable soddy soil of the Transcarpathian lowland. Subject of research – morphological characteristics, granulometric, microaggregate, structural-aggregate composition of soil, physical degradation processes.Data & Methods. In writing the article, we used materials of own field and laboratory studies. Commonly used methods of soil study have been applied (comparative geographical, comparative profile, analytical methods). Evaluation of soil agrophysical state was performed by calculating the relevant factors and indices. Physical degradation of soils was estimated by the methods adopted in Ukraine.Results. Soddy soils (Albeluvisols Gleyic (ABgl) are typical in the Transcarpathian lowland. Arable soil horizon is gray, light gray with a distinct brown shade (10YR6/2-10YR6/3 based on the Munsell color system). It is very dense, coated with crust and is broken down by wide cracks up to 15 mm in size, it is solid with the lumpy structure.The content of physical clay (particles smaller than 0.01 mm in diameter) in the arable horizon Неgl of highly loamy soddy soils is 49.08%, mildly loamy – 57.72%, medium loamy – 65.24-67.24%. High concentrations of dust in the soil, in particular of medium dust (particle size – 0.01-0.005 mm) results in connectivity in the dry state, viscosity and stickiness in humid state, low permeability. These phenomena are accompanied by deterioration in the structures, creation of blocks, formation of a crust on the surface, cracking.Among microaggregates, the arable horizon is dominated by the 0.25-0.05 mm and 0.05-0.01 mm fractions, the content of which is 18.76-26.36% and 34.00-63.00%. The content of sludge in the horizon Неglор. varies within 1.60-3.84%. Soddy soils are characterized by high potential ability to structure formation.Content of air-dry agronomically valuable 0.25-10.0 mm aggregates in the arable soil horizon is 16.34-29.63%. According to the accepted estimates, the structural and physical state of the soil is characterized as unsatisfactory. The degree of degradation of structural-aggregate composition of the soddy arable soil is characterized as too high (crisis).By the density of the arable layer structure (1.34-1.57 g / cm3) and the total porosity (47.7-39.5%), the soils have suffered medium, high and very high (crisis) physical degradation.Physical degradation of soddy soil is purely of anthropogenic origin. Optimization of the agrophysical state of the soddy soil of the Transcarpathian lowland is based on decrease in the the specific pressure on the soil and minimization of the use of heavy machinery, use of organic fertilizers, green manure crops sowing, crop, soils liming.