Abstract
The non-inversion tillage systems, including strip-till (ST), are the key element of conservation agriculture (CA). The aim of the 2012–2018 study has been to demonstrate the application of strip-till one-pass technology (ST-OP) on the farms of Central and Eastern Europe based on the use of Mzuri Pro-Til machines. There has also been an evaluation of the effect of that technology on the soil properties and the effects of crops growing. The scientific observations and field experiments were made, e.g., in Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, the Eastern states of Germany, Belarus, Serbia, and Romania. ST-OP case study with the use of Mzuri Pro-Til machine can be applied for growing all the basic crops. Tillage with a simultaneous basic fertilization application and seeding made regularly for a few years in given field leads to favorable changes in the soil properties. As compared with the soil under conventional plough tillage (CT), the soil moisture, especially in the periods of rainfall deficit, the content of organic carbon and its fraction, the count of microorganisms and earthworms, as well as the enzymatic activity, are higher. This technology saves over 20–30 L ha−1 of fuel, respectively, compared to reduced tillage (RT) and CT. Plant emergence is uniform, dense canopies and crop yields—not lower and even higher than for tillage and seeding commonly applied in Central and Eastern Europe. ST-OP can be thus an important element of field plant production as part of CA and sustainable development.
Highlights
Tillage is the key factor affecting the soil in agroecosystems [1,2]
Immediately after winter, in the first half of April, the soil moisture accounted for 25–30% vol and it did not depend on the tillage method (Figure 6A–C)
The most water in soil occurred in the inter-rows after the harvest of winter wheat grown in the strip-till one-pass technology (ST-OP) (Table 2)
Summary
Tillage is the key factor affecting the soil in agroecosystems [1,2]. The entire field surface or only its part, narrow strips, will be tilled. Tillage covers the entire soil thickness and it is, on average, 10–25 cm, and minimum. 2–3 cm, namely at the seeding depth [5,6]. The sources of historic and contemporary literature demonstrate that tillage is subject to evolutionary changes along with the civilization development and scientific, technical, and technological progress [7,8]. The contemporary tillage methods and systems are adjusted to the habitat, social and economic conditions, and the agricultural policy in various regions of the world [9,10,11]
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