Comparison of no-till and traditional technologies for Triticum Aestivum L. cultivation

Abstract

The research purpose is to compare the no-till Triticum aestivum L. cultivation technology with a traditional cultivation system and their influence on soil moisture, the number of weeds, soil density, aggregate composition and a structure coefficient. The studies were conducted in 2015–2018 in the Steppe Crimea. Crop rotations consist of the same set of plants with the exception of the first link: under the traditional system: black fallow – winter wheat — oil flax — winter barley — grain sorghum; under the no-till system, pea was sowed at the first field. The experiments were conducted in accordance with generally accepted methods of field experiments in agriculture and crop production. By the time of sowing, a larger amount of moisture accumulated in the black fallow compared to the field of peas. It was 0–10; 0–20; 0–100 cm for 1.9; 5.5 and 20.6 mm, respectively. In spring, the amount of productive moisture was at the same level. Under the traditional system, it was 104; under the direct sowing, it was 102 mm. Using the direct sowing technology, the absence of mechanical soil loosening had no effect on the density parameter in comparison with the traditional farming system: density was normal, regardless of the farming system: 1.13 g/cm3 under the traditional system, and 1.19 g/cm3 under the direct sowing system; in the 10-30 cm layer, it was 1.45 g/cm3; in general, in the 0–30 cm layer, the difference was not significant (1.34 and 1.36 g/cm3). The species composition of weeds did not change. The direct sowing technology used for untreated soil had a positive effect on the soil structure. By the third year of research, the coefficient of structure was 2.94 (under the traditional system), and 4.05 (under the direct sowing system).