Efficiency of grain production in crop rotations of the dry steppe of the Lower Volga region

Abstract

The analysis of the influence of species and the fullness of crop rotations on the productivity and efficiency of grain crops is given. It was revealed that the highest grain yield is observed in a 4-field grain-fallow crop rotation. The absence of a field of late spring crops (millet) in 2- and 3-field crop rotations reduces grain yield in comparison with 4- and 7-field crops, both on average over 28 years (1991-2018), and in wet and middle years. The bioenergy coefficient, judging by the costs and grain yield, was highest in a 2-field grain-fallow crop rotation (4.94), then in a 4-field rotation (4.60), then in decreasing order: 7-field (3.86) and 3- field (3.73). In calculating the costs of labor, fuel and energy per 1 ton of grain from arable land, the lowest indicators were obtained in 2-field and 4-field crop rotations. It has been established that in terms of production costs per hectare of arable land, the cost of production of 1 ton of grain, conditionally net income per hectare of arable land, the level of profitability, the leading place is occupied by a 2-field grain-fallow crop rotation. For example, the lowest production costs were noted in a 2-field grain-fallow crop rotation (7782.00 rubles), the highest - in a 7-field (13835.56 rubles). Hence, the lowest production cost of 1 ton of grain was obtained in a 2-field crop rotation, amounting to 5598.56 rubles, followed by a 4-field crop rotation with millet - 7392.66 rubles. And according to the level of profitability, as mentioned above, grain-fallow crop rotations are arranged in decreasing order with the advantage of a 2-field crop rotation in the following order: two-, four-, three- and seven-field - respectively 116.1; 53.2; 48.2 and 37.0 %.