Application of elements of organic cropping practice for spring barley under conditions of technogenic load of the Donbas

Abstract

Purpose. Тo determine the efficiency of using elements of organic cropping practice for spring barley under conditions of technogenic load of the Donbas. Methods. The research was carried out in the State Enterprise “Experimental Farm “Vidrodzhennia” of the Donetsk SАES of the NAAS” in Zaporizhzhia region with the spring barley variety Skhidnyi by conventional cropping practice and with elements of organic one on mineral and organic nutrition backgrounds. In the control, the seeds and crops were treated with only water using conventional technology. Observations, calculations and statistical processing of yield data were carried out according to B. A. Dospekhov. Content of heavy metals was determined by methodological guidelines (1992); grain protein content was determined by titration method (GOST 10864-91). Results. The proposed elements of organic cropping practice (organic background, pre-sowing seed inoculation, crop-spraying in tillering and earing with composition of microbial preparations) increased in the level of crop yield as compared to control by 0.5 t/ha on mineral background and by 0.89 t/ha on organic background. Grain protein content on organic background exceeded the control by 0.74 %, and on mineral one it did by 0.68 %; crude protein content increased by 0.81 % and 0.74 %, respectively. The use of the proposed elements of organic cropping practice of barley spring on both nutrition backgrounds decreased the content of heavy metals in barley grain as compared to control and conventional cropping practice: lead content by 0.04 mg/kg and 0.07 mg/kg, copper content by 0.55 mg/kg and 0.50 mg/kg, zinc content by 5.17 mg/kg and 4.02 mg/kg, respectively. The introduction of elements of organic cropping practice of spring barley on the organic background contributed to high net profit (2,732.4 UAH/ha) and profitability level (64.8 %), and decrease in the cost of products (by 510.3 UAH/t) compared to the control. Conclusions. The using elements of organic cropping practice of spring barley has contributed to crop yield increase as compared to the control both on the of mineral nutrition background and on the organic background as well as raise in protein content and in crude protein content. The content of heavy metals in grain of spring barley has decreased in comparison with the control and conventional technology: on the mineral background by 13–19 %, on the organic background by 14–24 %. The use of elements of the organic cropping practice of spring barley on organic nutrition background led to increase in net profit by 1,844.1 UAH/ha and profitability by 41.9 %.