Forecrop Influence on Humus Formation under Novgorod Region Conditions

Abstract

In the article, the data on the study of the forecrop influence on the spring wheat yield and humus formation in grain-fallow and grain-row crop rotations under the conditions of the D. P. Pavlyuk peasant farm household (PFH) of the Novgorod region is provided. It has been found that the yield of spring wheat and the accumulation of plant residues and humus in the soil in the crop rotation system is greatly influenced by the forecrop. Thus, as a result of the studies carried out to explore the influence of the forecrop on the yield and humus formation, it has been found that the forecrop has a great influence on the yield of grain and the accumulation of plant residues and humus in the soil in the crop rotation system. In grain-row crop rotation, spring wheat, sown after potato, demonstrated the highest grain yield (about 5.5 tonnes per hectare) and provided the output of root and crop residues of more than 6 tonnes per hectare. This led to the maximum formation of humus in the soil (about a tonne per hectare). In the grain-fallow crop rotation, the cultivation of wheat after pure fallow provided a grain yield per unit area of about 4.5 tonnes per hectare. Furthermore, 0.74 tonnes of humus were produced in the crop rotation system for the formation of the yield of the following crops. Repeated sowing of wheat provided a low grain yield of the spring grain crop. Permanent sowing of wheat formed the least amount of plant residues and humus. The humus formation was only 0.54–0.59 tonnes per hectare. This confirms the unreasonableness of using permanent sowing of wheat.