The influence of the basic treatment depth on the feed beets yield in the conditions of Bila Tserkva NAU TPC

Abstract

The aim of the research is to establish the most effective combination of soil tillage which provides fodder beet high productivity while increasing the fertility of typical soil and root crops quality. The studies were conducted at the Training Production Center (NPC) of the Bila Tserkva NAU in 2018–2019. The soil of the experimental site – chernozem is a typical low humus large-dusty-medium-loam granulometric composition. In accordance with the performed analyzes, they are characterized by the following indicators in the arable (0–30 cm) layer: humus content – 3.23 %; lightly hydrolyzed nitrogen – 7.6 mg; available phosphorus – 13.9 mg; mobile potassium – 15.1 mg/100 g soil; the amount of absorbed bases is 25.3 mg eq.; hydrolytic acidity of 2.15 mg /eq/100 g of soil. The above data indicate that the soils are relatively fertile. They are low humus in terms of humus content. The reaction of the soil solution is slightly acidic. According to the indicators of mobile forms of phosphorus, potassium, pH of salt extract, they belong to the medium supplied in phosphorus and potassium, and do not need liming. Phosphorus and potassium content in the soil increases in the fertilized areas. Thus, the introduction of N90P90K90 leads to an increase in the potassium and phosphorus content in the arable soil, respectively: by 25.6 % and 50.0 %, during sowing and by 23.2 % and 33.3 % in the phase of the third pair of true leaves compared with unfertilized areas. More intensive growth and development of fodder beet plants on fertilized variants led to equalization of phosphorus and potassium content in the soil according to the variants of the experiment during the harvesting period. The following weeds dominated on the feed beet crops: Polygonum convolvulus, Persicaria lapathifolia, Agrostis alba, Setaria pumila, Echinochloa crus-galli, Convolvulus arvensis, Raphanus raphanistrum and others. The yield of fodder beet root increases on the plots with application of N30P30K30, N60P60K60, N90P90K90 under the use of higher doses of fertilizers, compared with the unfertilized plots increased on average for all studied variants by 17.3 t/ha. Indicators of the structural condition and soil structure the under fodder beets are better under plow cultivation with a depth of 30–32 cm than that of 20–22 cm. %. The yields of fodder beet root under 30–32 cm plow mechanical tillage was the higher by 4.11 t/ha compared to the 20–22 cm plow cultivation. The yield increases with fertilizers doses increase. Key words: fodder beet, basic tillage, fertilizers, yield.