Abstract
One of the main goals of the 21st century’s developing society is to produce the necessary amount of food while protecting the environment. Globally, particularly in Lithuania and other northern regions with similar climatic and soil conditions, there is a lack of data on the long-term effects of crop rotation under the current conditions of intensive farming and climate change. It has long been recognized that monocultures cause soil degradation compared to crop rotation. Research hypothesis: the long-term implementation of crop rotation makes a positive influence on the soil environment. The aim of our investigation was to compare the effects of a 50-year-long application of different crop rotations and monocultures on soil CO2 emissions, earthworms, and productivity of winter rye. Long-term stationary field experiments were established in 1966 at Vytautas Magnus University Experimental Station (54°53′ N, 23°50′ E). The study was conducted using intensive field rotation with row crops, green manure crop rotations, three-course rotation, and rye monoculture. Pre-crop had the largest impact on soil CO2 emissions, and more intensive soil CO2 emissions occurred at the beginning of winter rye growing season. Rye appeared not to be demanding in terms of pre-crops. However, its productivity decreased when grown in monoculture, and the optimal mineral fertilization remained lower than with crop rotation, but productivity remained stable.
Highlights
The growing global population is driving the intensification of agricultural production [1], farmlands dominate 38% of the global land surface, and almost 30% of the global net primary production is for human use [2]
Winter rye was grown after the 1st year perennial grasses, but more active CO2 emissions were recorded at the end of vegetation
This study confirmed our hypothesis that long-term crop rotation has a positive effect on the yield of winter rye and on soil CO2 emissions as well as earthworm population
Summary
The growing global population is driving the intensification of agricultural production [1], farmlands dominate 38% of the global land surface, and almost 30% of the global net primary production is for human use [2]. Agricultural systems that increase the reliance on biodiversity can reduce the risks from climate change challenges and should be considered essential to meet the great challenge of climate change mitigation [6]. The cultivation of winter rye differs from that of other cereals, and this crop affects the soil properties and soil biodiversity in a peculiar way [7]. The inclusion of winter rye in crop rotations is advantageous, as the ground cover it provides may reduce soil erosion [8], while simultaneously allowing a more sustainable management of the soil [9]
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