The effect of rotation length of crop rotations and weather conditions on the productivity of winter wheat

Abstract

The results of the study of changes in winter wheat grain yield depending on the rotation length of crop rotations in the Lower Volga region are presented. As a result of 12 years of research (20082019) it was found that the maximum yield was obtained in four- and five-field crop rotations with the inclusion of leguminous crops - 2.73 and 2.79 t/ha, respectively. During the analysis of variance, different effects of growing conditions and rotation length on winter wheat yields were noted. The influence of vegetation conditions accounted for 98.6%. The effect of crop rotation was also significant (0.6%). Winter wheat grain yield significantly depended on the weather conditions, which allowed to fully evaluate the potential of winter wheat - fallow in crop rotations with a short rotation. When winter wheat was cultivated in four- and five-field crop rotations with the inclusion of leguminous crops, the yield increased both in wet and moderately wet years. With HTC greater than 0.9 in the five-field crop rotation the grain yield was 4.40 t/ha, in four-field - 4.31, in three-field - 4.02 t/ha. With HTC of 0.6 to 0.9 in four- and five-field crop rotations, the yield ranged from 2.78-2.84 t/ha, and in three-field crop rotations it was 2.52 t/ha. In dry years, no significant difference in winter wheat yield between crop rotations was found, which ranged from 0.98-1.07 t/ha. It can be concluded that winter wheat cultivation on the second field of short rotational crop rotations on fallow preceding crop in conditions of insufficient moisture is effective.