Abstract
Agricultural practices, including tillage systems and postharvest residue management, strongly affect a wide range of soil properties. Depending on the degree of soil inversion, both negative and beneficial changes of its structure, chemical composition, and biological activity may occur as a result of these treatments. The three-year experiment was carried out on the soil under winter wheat (cv. Arktis) monoculture. The effect of various tillage systems and stubble management on the soil environment’s biological and chemical features was investigated. The total number of microorganisms (TNM); bacteria (B); actinobacteria(A); fungi (F); soil respiratory activity (SR); pH in 1 M KCl (pH); organic carbon content (OC); content of available phosphorus (Pa); potassium (Ka); magnesium (Mg); and content of total nitrogen (TN) and mineral nitrogen forms were determined in soil samples. It was shown that manure application was the factor with the greatest influence on soil properties. The manure fertilization resulted in a higher number of microorganisms in arable soil. Conventional tillage procedures combined with manure application increased the amounts of available forms of phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and mineral nitrogen. Introduction of the chopped straw in the field enhanced the beneficial effect of manure on soil properties.
Highlights
The planet’s predicted 30% population growth by 2050 may be one of the main factors determining the increased demand for wheat as one of the most important cereal crops cultivated worldwide [1]
The percentage difference among treatments including conventional tillage combined with manure application (A4) and simplified treatment reduced to a single ploughing (A3), was 61.2%
The differences observed among various tillage procedures applied in the study suggest, that the addition of organic matter is the more important factor affecting the values of the soil’s biological and chemical parameters than the type of cultivation system used
Summary
The planet’s predicted 30% population growth by 2050 may be one of the main factors determining the increased demand for wheat as one of the most important cereal crops cultivated worldwide [1]. Conventional tillage practices include soil inversion, multiple loosening, and mixing, which strongly alter the soil environment, resulting in a decrease in soil organic matter content, a reduction in soil biological activity, and a reduction in biodiversity [6]. To prevent these unfavorable phenomena in agricultural practice, the current plow tillage is often simplified by introducing non-inversive methods generally limited to the loosening the soil structure, e.g., a non-tillage system or direct sowing [7,8]. To the excessive intensification of agricultural production, ill-conceived simplifications may sometimes lead to ecologically and economically dubious consequences, requiring additional measures to be taken to preserve or improve soil biodiversity and fertility, including diverse crop rotations, perennial crops, organic fertilizer use, growing legumes, incorporating cover crops to the soil or integrating pest and weed management [9]
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