Relationship of Land Use History and Chemical Properties of Soils with Their Allelotoxicity

Abstract

The influence of land use history and chemical properties of soils on their allelotoxicity has been studied. Twelve soil samples collected on the Russian Plain and seeds of six cultivars of spring wheat, as well as seeds of barley, rye, and triticale have been used in the study. It was found that different grain crops are inhibited in the same manner by toxic substances in soils. The allelotoxicity of soils differed in dependence on the previous land use and was much higher in the soils from agricultural fields, irrespectively of grown crops, than in the soils of long-term fallow and forests. These data allow us to suppose that crop rotation systems are not always sufficient to reduce soil toxicosis. In this context, the assessment of real soil fatigue (soil allelotoxicity) in the course of crop rotation is necessary. Statistical processing of available data attested to the influence of chemical properties of soils on the inhibition of seed germination and the development of seedlings.