Preservation of Soil Fertility Using Sidereal Clover

Abstract

This study examined the use of intermediate groundcover sideral crops, such as perennial leguminous herbs, to conserve soil fertility though enriching the soil with fresh organic matter, an effective and low-cost method. Studies show that the use of direct sowing technology allows the preservation of all plant residues on the soil surface, which ensures the best accumulation of snow in the winter. Through the preservation of numerous biodrenes from the root system of sweet clover and other cultivated crops, as well as soil channels from earthworms, this direct sowing technology increases the moisture content of the soil and reduces moisture loss. The effectiveness of various soybean, corn and sunflower cultivation technologies with a minimal tillage period was studied. When sweet clover was used for green manure in April, the maximum yield was obtained, and the maximum yield for corn (57.3-82.3 c/ha) was obtained using the no-till technology. As a consequence, the ground cover crop had a noticeable effect on the yield of the second crop rotation - spring wheat, which had a higher yield. The use of direct sowing technology with sweet clover as green manure provided the highest yield of spring wheat - from 37.2 to 39.8 c / ha. The grain quality of spring wheat, placed as the second crop after melilot on green manure, was higher, both under no-till technology and under mini-till technology.
 Keywords: biologization, soil fertility, green manure, clover, direct sowing, productivity