Field Crop Rotation Research Articles

The contribution of perennial fodder crops to the nitrogen balance of agroecosystems in Western Siberia

The article presents the results of experiments obtained in stationary experiments on the basis of grain-fallow and grain-grass crop rotations on meadow-chernozem soil in the Omsk region. The influence of spring wheat precursors (alfalfa of the 3rd year of life and fallow) on individual elements of soil fertility and crop yield has been established. It was revealed that when cultivating spring wheat by fallow in the grain-fallow crop rotation, the nitrogen balance (-28 kg/ha) is negative with an intensity of 66 %. When sowing wheat in grain-grass crop rotation on a layer of perennial grasses, the nitrogen balance is positive (+21.0 kg/ha) and the intensity is 119 %. The favorable effect of the legume component in the crop rotation on the nitrogen regime of the soil significantly increased the yield of spring wheat by 0.5 t/ha in comparison with wheat cultivated in the field crop rotation by bare fallow. Under similar conditions, studies were carried out on irrigated meadowchernozem soil in an eight-field stationary grain-grass crop rotation. The removal of nitrogen by the yield of various perennial grasses, as well as the responsiveness of alfalfa, bromus and sweet clover with productivity parameters to the level of nitrogenphosphorus nutrition, were studied. The current mobilization of nitrogen under these conditions under the vegetative brome without fertilizers was 76 kg/ha. When optimizing the phosphate regime of the soil, this indicator increased to 99 kg/ha. The removal of nitrogen by alfalfa on similar agricultural backgrounds increases due to symbiotically fixed nitrogen, by 89 and 193 kg/ha, respectively, or 2.2 and 2.9 times. Alfalfa and sweet clover responded positively to the improvement of mineral fertilizing conditions (P60N60-160). In alfalfa of the 1-5 year of life the collection of green mass and fodder units increased to 40.56 and 7.00 t/ha, respectively, or by 86 and 54 % relative to the control without fertilizers, with 82.76 GJ of exchange energy per hectare. The productivity of sweet clover of the 2nd year of life increased up to 30.85 t/ha of green mass and 2.83 t/ha of fodder units or by 37 and 17 % relative to the control.

Identification and characterization of biocontrol agent Lysinibacillus boronitolerans P42 against Cerrena unicolor that causes root rot of arecanut palm

The arecanut palm is one of the most important industrial crops in tropical area around the world. The root rot of arecanut palm, which is caused by Cerrena unicolor, has led to heavy economic losses and restricted greatly the development of arecanut industry, especially in Hainan province of China. The common use of chemical agents has worsened the problems of the emergence of resistant pathogens and the pollution of agricultural environment. This study aims to screen and identify a more effective and environment friendly biocontrol method for the prevention and treatment of root rot of arecanut palm. The mycelium growth rate is investigated to select antagonistic bacteria from tropical crop rotation fields which show improved resistance against soil-borne pathogens, and the strain P42 is revealed with the strongest antagonistic effects (82.18%). Based on 16s rDNA sequence analysis, the strain P42 is identified as Lysinibacillus boronitolerans. In vitro antimicrobial activity shows that the strain P42 exhibits broad-spectrum antagonistic activity against a wide variety of tropical agricultural fungal pathogens, including Cerrena unicolor, Magnaporthe oryzea, Botryodiplodia theobromae, Neoscytalidium dimidiatum, Thanatephorus cucumeris, Fusarium oxysporum, and Botrytis cinereaPer.. The antagonistic activity of the culture of P42 is tolerant to common proteases, longer storage time, and temperature range of 40-121°C; and is significantly influenced by alkaline (7-9) and acidic (1-2) pH, as well as by ultraviolet ray treatment for more than 30min. The investigation on the antagonistic activity of the crude extract of fermentation filtrate indicates that the active compounds might be lipopeptides, polyketones, or proteins. To our knowledge, this is the first report of L. boronitolerans as potential bio-reagents for controlling root rot of arecanut palm caused by Cerrena unicolor.

The influence of field crop rotations on the contamination of crops in the conditions of the Kostanay region

The research was carried out in order to study the influence of precursors of agricultural crops cultivated in grain and fruit-bearing crop rotations using No-till system with elements of precision farming on the contamination of crops in the conditions of southern chernozems of Kostanay region. Two types of crop rotations were studied – 4-pole grain-steam (steam – wheat – wheat – wheat) and 4-pole fruit-bearing (peas – wheat-oilseed flax – wheat). On each crop rotation crop, variants with different levels of mineral nutrition were laid-without fertilizers (control) and P15. All records and observations were carried out according to standard methods. A correlation of an average degree was established between the clogging of crops by full shoots in the grain-pair crop rotation and wheat yield (dyx=0.40), as well as between the clogging of crops before harvesting in the fruit-bearing crop rotation and the yield of cultivated crops (dyx=0.49). A decrease in clogging was revealed in the grain-steam crop rotation on the second wheat after steam (12.7-12.9 pcs./m2), in the fruit-bearing crop rotation – on wheat after peas (15.9-38.4 pcs./m2). The use of herbicides in the grain-steam crop rotation on the first wheat after steam made it possible to obtain an increase in yield on the control – 0.18 t/ha and on the P15 variant – 0.20 t/ha. In the fruit-bearing crop rotation, a high increase was noted on the variant of sowing peas – 0.36 t/ha (control) and 0.48 t/ha (P15).

Influence of tillage and fertilizers on the weed infestation of field crop rotation link in the Northern Steppe of Ukraine

Topicality. In the current conditions in Ukraine, the issues of weed control in crops do not lose their relevance due to the negative processes caused by the aggravation of the economic situation, the rapid soaring prices on mineral fertilizers, machinery, fuels and lubricants, plant protection products, the replacement of energy-intensive traditional tillage systems with moldboardless and other resource-saving ones. Purpose. To study the influence of tillage and fertilizers on the weed infestation of agricultural crops in the link of the field grain-fallow-row crop rotation: winter wheat after maize (milk-wax ripeness) – grain peas – winter wheat in the Northern Steppe of Ukraine. Materials and Methods. Methods of tillage with applying mineral fertilizers under the primary tillage were tested. The field and statistical-mathematical methods were used in experimental studies. The number of weeds in crops was determined by the quantitative-weight method using square frames. Results. It was established that moldboardless tillage in the crop rotation link against the background of plowing under maize and harrowing with light harrows during the growing season leads in comparison with moldboard tillage to the following increase in weed infestation – on average for years of research: annual weeds during the growing season: in peas crops – by 40.6 (without fertilizers), 44.2 (with recommended dose) and 51.6 (with calculated dose) pcs/m2; before harvesting: by 22.7, 24.4 and 36.4 pcs/m2, respectively; in winter wheat crops after peas – by 0.5, 11.9 and 19.4 pcs/m2; 5.8, 8.4 and 6.7 pcs./m2, respectively; perennials in winter wheat crops after peas during the growing season: by 10.4, 9.1 and 10.9 pcs/m2; before harvesting: by 19.1, 18.3 and 20.0 pcs/m2, respectively. The application of mineral fertilizers increases germination of annual weed seeds. This was most clearly observed in winter wheat crops after maize of milk-wax ripeness. A tendency towards an increase in the air-dry weight of weeds under fertilization was revealed for all crops in the crop rotation link. Conclusions. Moldboardless tillage increases the number of weeds, but does not increase their air-dry weight, and decreases grain yield and quality. Mineral fertilizers applied in the experiment increase the air-dry weight of weeds and the number of their annual species. The species composition of weeds in the crops did not depend on the method of tillage. Key words: weeds, tillage, mineral fertilizers, winter wheat, peas

Effect of straw biochar application on soil carbon, greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen leaching: A vegetable crop rotation field experiment

AbstractIntensive vegetable crop systems are rapidly developing, with consequences for greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions, nitrogen leaching and soil carbon. We undertook a field trial to explore the effect of biochar application (0, 10, 20 and 40 t ha−1) on these factors in lettuce, water spinach and ice plant rotation. Our results show that the 20 and 40 t ha−1 soil treatments resulted in the SOC content being 26.3% and 29.8% higher than the control (0 t ha−1), respectively, with significant differences among all treatments (p < .05). Biochar application caused N2O emissions to decrease during the lettuce and water spinach seasons, by 1.5%–33.6% and 12.4%–40.5%, respectively, compared the control, with the 20 t ha−1 application rate resulting in the lowest N2O emissions. Biochar also decreased the dissolved nitrogen (DN) concentration in leachate by 9.8%–36.2%, following a 7.3%–19.9% reduction in dissolved nitrogen in the soil. Similarly, biochar decreased the nitrate (NO3−) concentrations in leachate by 3.9%–30.2%, following a 3.8%–16.7% reduction in the soil nitrate level. Overall, straw biochar applied at rate of 20 t ha−1 produced the lowest N2O emissions and N leaching, while, increasing soil carbon.

Crop rotation with plastic mulching increased soil organic carbon and water sustainability: A field trial on the Loess Plateau

AbstractAppropriate crop rotations are beneficial for food security and carbon sequestration. In cool and semiarid rain‐fed areas, however, the effect on carbon sequestration in soil and the soil–crop system is not clear. In this study, a crop rotation field experiment was carried out on the Loess Plateau, China, involving (1) wheat continuous cropping (WCC), (2) maize continuous cropping (MCC), (3) potato continuous cropping (PCC) and (4) wheat–maize–potato rotating cropping (RC). All treatments were tilled once, and then, plastic mulched immediately to inhibit evaporation. We found that the rotating cropping system improved water storage in the 0–300 cm soil profile by 65.8 mm through the 6 years, while MCC depleted deep soil moisture. In a drought year, total dry matter (DM) for the rotating cropping was greater by 23.9% and 79.3% and harvested carbon quantity (HCQ) by 0.6 and 1.8 Mg ha−1 compared with WCC and MCC systems, respectively. Total evapotranspiration significantly decreased by 14.5% compared with MCC, with no significant change compared with WCC and PCC. The soil organic carbon (SOC) concentration at 20–30 cm depth in the rotating cropping system was 36.0%, 28.0% and 30.3% greater than those of WCC, MCC and PCC, respectively. Similarly, the SOC sequestration rate at this depth was higher by 3.8, 3.2 and 3.4 Mg ha−1, respectively. The pure carbon accumulation (PCA) of the rotating cropping system significantly increased compared with WCC and PCC, resulting in increased water use efficiency of pure carbon accumulation (WCP) by 11.1, 2.2 and 3.1 Mg ha−1 mm−1 compared with the WCC, MCC and PCC systems, respectively. Overall, the rotating cropping (RC) system maintained better soil water conditions, sustained crop development and SOC sequestration, especially optimizing the relationship between crop water utilization and SOC sequestration in soil–crop system in the cool semiarid rain‐fed area.

ТРЕНДИ В РОБОТИЗАЦІЇ МОБІЛЬНИХ СІЛЬСЬКОГОСПОДАРСЬКИХ ЗАСОБІВ

Summary The purpose of this article is research of the level of development and features of agricultural robots offered by global manufacturers and directions of robotics and their technological use in field crop rotations;the structuring and assessment of the prospects for the use of robotic agricultural autonomous means (robots) in field crop rotation. Methods: сase-studies of robotic agricultural autonomous means (robots) that are proposed for the use of mechanized processes in field crop rotations; structuring of technical solutions of robots according to their technological features and energy sources; analysis of navigation algorithms, sensor systems, artificial intelligence and other important components that are characteristic of field robots; identification of key developers/manufacturers of field robots, features of their proposed directions of robotics and technological use in field crop rotations; assessing the prospects for the application of field robots and the technological benefits of their application and taking into account the challenges such as legal aspects, safety and acceptance of the technology by farmers. Results. The conducted factor analyzes of the structural elements of field robots show that both traditional tractors and special chassis are used to transform energy into traction and drive capacity, and different levels of sensor and software are achieved. This made it possible to assess the autonomy levels of field robots and predict the scope of application depending on the power. The tractor, retrofitted with sensors and appropriate programs, provides semi-autonomous performance of basic operations in a unit with traditional agricultural machines in field crop rotations, but the presence of a person is still mandatory. Conclusions. New directions for the development of field robots use convergent technologies and are based on the deep modernization of tractors and the use of specially designed chassis with their own transmissions (concepts), the use of new energy sources and a significantly higher level of autonomy and remote control of work modes. Concepts are created as single designs and are oriented towards the performance of separate operations in a unit with agricultural machines, or with special attachments for working bodies and even in single-row execution. As a rule, they have an electric transmission, but not high power, which narrows the scope of their application. Keywords: robotic agricultural tools, field robots, autonomous tractors, electric tractors, agricultural robots, control systems of agricultural tools, mobile autonomous tools.

Linear-dynamic model of the problem of optimization of placement and alternation of crops in cropping rotation

The problem of determining the best positioning and rotation of crops within fields of crop rotation has been approached through two different methods, static and dynamic. In the static model, specific schemes are chosen based on the predetermined number and size of rotation fields that can accommodate a particular crop. The model takes into consideration various factors such as crop yields within the same field, cotton production volume, labor costs, production expenses, and conditional net income. The optimization criterion in this model is to minimize production costs and maximize conditional net income, which is the difference between the costs of gross output per hectare and production expenses per hectare. The initial data is computed using long-term farm data, and information is prepared for each crop rotation scheme to enable a comprehensive evaluation of all crop rotation schemes and fields while taking into account major indicators of farm production.

Chemical Composition of <i>Glycine soja</i> (Fabaceae) Seeds from the Amur Region Territory

Abstract—Wild soybean Glycine soja Sieb. Zucc., the wild ancestor of the cultivated soybean Glycine max (L.) Merr., is the source of many valuable genes missing in the genotype of cultivated soybean, including stress resistance to adverse environmental factors. The biochemical parameters (protein, oil, ascorbic acid, carotene, higher fatty acids, specific activity and multiple forms of enzymes of the oxidoreductase and hydrolase classes) of five forms of wild soybeans from the collection of the All-Russian Research Institute of Soybean, which are unique natural gene banks, were studied. The wild seeds were collected for in three districts of the Amur Region (Arkharinsky, Blagoveshchensk, Belogorsky) and grown on the crop rotation field. The obtained results of enzymatic activity (superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, ribonuclease, acid phosphatase, esterase and amylase) and biochemical parameters of the studied seeds of wild soybean forms allowed us to identify the form KA-1413 with high biochemical parameters (protein, oleic and linolenic acids), a low specific polyphenol oxidase activity, and an increased activity of superoxide dismutases, esterases and ribonucleases. Thus, the wild soybean form KA-1413 can be recommended as a source of dominant genes, which will help to increase the adaptive potential of new soybean varieties. The increased heterogeneity of multiple forms of SOD, AML, RNase and esterase in wild soybean seeds can be used as adaptation markers to environmental conditions.

Eutrophication of Arable Soil: The Comparative Effect of Mineral and Organic Fertilizer Systems

Agrogenic eutrophication refers to the artificial enrichment of soil with organic carbon and nutrients in result of applying mineral and organic fertilizers to increase soil fertility and plant productivity. Eutrophication of gray forest soils (Luvic Retic Greyzemic Phaeozems (Loamic)) was created by annual application of increasing doses of mineral (N 90–360, P2O5 75–300 and K2O 100–400 kg/ha) and organic (fresh cattle manure from 25 to 100 t/ha) fertilizers under plants of a 5–field crop rotation for 9 years in microplots experiment. The NPK amounts applied with the manure were approximately equal to the corresponding doses of mineral fertilizer. The rates of soil enrichment by Corg under mineral and organic fertilizer systems were, respectively, 0.29–0.38 and 0.76–1.56 g/kg per year, Ntot – 0.04–0.06 and 0.06–0.09 g/kg per year, available P2O5 – 4–57 and 11–55 mg/kg per year, available K2O – 5–44 and 6–31 mg/kg per year. The fertilizer doses under both systems were the most significant factor in the accumulation of nitrate nitrogen, available forms of phosphorus and potassium in the soil, while the Ntot contents was controlled by the duration of fertilizer application. The Corg content in the soil with organic and mineral fertilizers depended on the dose of manure and the duration of NPK application, respectively. Soil eutrophication with mineral fertilizers was accompanied by a decrease in soil pH, and eutrophication with organic fertilizers, on the contrary, led to an increase in pH. It is emphasized that over–fertilization and long–term use of fertilizers are the main factors in the development of soil eutrophication and the concomitant change in soil pH.

Parameters of soil fertility and productivity of field crop rotation with the application of fertilizers and lime

Parameters of soil fertility and productivity of field crop rotation with the application of fertilizers and lime

Influence of agrotechnological growing practices on the formation of biometric indicators of Khorasan wheat (Triticum turanicum) in the conditions of the eastern part of the Northern Steppe of Ukraine

Topicality. The popularity of Khorasan wheat among consumers is due to the fact that their grain has more useful properties than traditional wheat types. The distribution of this wheat is restricted by the lack of accurate agrotechnological practices that would allow plants to maximise their genetically programmed productivity. Purpose. To determine the influence of the proposed elements of cultivation technology on the formation of biometric parameters by Khorasan wheat plants in the eastern part of the Northern Steppe of Ukraine. Methods. In 2021–2022, research was conducted in the field crop rotation of the Donetsk State Agricultural Research Station of NAAS, according to the method of B. O. Dospehov. The predecessor was a sunflower. The Khorasan wheat of Sarmat variety was used for sowing. Research methods were used: field, laboratory, mathematical and statistical. Results. Application of mineral fertilisers in the cultivation of Khorasan wheat contributes to the formation of better biometric parameters during the growing season compared to the control variant. At full maturity stage, the habitus of plants exceeds the control variant by 22 cm. The number of nodal roots per plant increases by 0.7 pcs and the productive tillering coefficient– by 0.1. When lower sowing rates are applied (2.0 and 3.0 million seeds/ha), plants form better biometric parameters regardless of nutritional background. The largest number of productive shoots of the Khorasan wheat forms in the nutrition background N30P30. Depending on the seeding rate, the coefficient of productive tillering varied from 1.4 to 1.2. Conclusions. Increasing or decreasing the seeding rate does not significantly affect the physiological ability of the crop to form a high plant density. Economically efficient plant density per unit area can be formed by increasing the seeding rate, which will reduce the number of productive stems per plant, but the total number of productive stems per 1 m2 will increase, as a result, grain yield will increase. Key words: Khorasan wheat, seeding rate, nutritional background, tillering coefficient, number of nodal roots, plant height, productive tillering coefficient, number of stems

Monitoring and control of phytophage resistance mechanisms in short rotation field crop rotations in the context of globalization of agrocenoses of the Forest-Steppe of Ukraine

Monitoring and control of phytophage resistance mechanisms in short rotation field crop rotations in the context of globalization of agrocenoses of the Forest-Steppe of Ukraine

State of knowledge on biology and ecology of field bugs of the genus Lygus Hahn, 1833 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae) in agrocenoses of Ukraine and the world

Lygus bugs (Lygus Hahn, 1833) are omnivorous pests of great economic importance in field crop rotations. The bugs L. rugulipennis (Poppius, 1911) and L. pratensis (Linnaeus, 1758) are part of the permanent complex of pests of sunflower, soybean, pea, wheat and winter barley, berry crops in Ukraine. The article analyzes literary data devoted to the features of biology and ecology of field bugs. Particular attention is paid to the issues of species composition and seasonal changes of fodder plants of field bugs, their harmfulness, natural enemies, agroecological approaches in the regulation lygus bugs’ populations. Data from studies conducted in European countries, North America, and China are presented

Variability and stability of the main valuable economic traits of the chickpeas collection specimens in conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine

Purpose. The research is aimed at an in-depth study of the genetic diversity of the existing collection samples from the basic collections according to morphological, biological and economic features in conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine and selection of reliable sources of these traits in order to create a new highly productive, adaptive breeding material. Methods. Field (conducting phenological observations and records), biometric and measuring and weighting (for recording productivity and yield), mathematical and statistical (objective evaluation of experimental data obtained). Results. During 2018-2021, on the experimental fields of scientific crop rotation of the Institute of Feed Research and Agriculture of Podillia of NAAS, evaluation of 223 chickpea samples obtained from the Breeding and Genetic Institute of the National Center for Seed Science and Varietal Research and 210 samples of the kabuli type and 13 samples of the desi type from the V.Ya. Yuryev Institute of Plant Breeding of NAAS was carried out. Using the coefficient of variation (V, %), the level of variability of the main morphological traits (“stem length”, “lower bean attachment height”, “number of branches of the 1st order per plant”), elements of seed productivity (“number of beans per plant”, “number of seeds per bean”, “weight of 1000 seeds” and “seed weight per plant”) and productivity was established in these samples. The ecological stability (stability and plasticity) of the main valuable morphological traits, elements of seed productivity and yield in chickpea collection samples selected for productivity features were studied. Conclusions. According to the data of four years of research (2018-2021), in conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine, 16 collection samples of chickpeas (12 of the kabuli and 4 of the desi type) resistant to adverse abiotic and biotic factors with increased productivity were selected. These samples are valuable sources of the main morphological traits plasticity and stability, elements of the seed productivity structure for the purpose of breeding the increased the adaptability of chickpea varieties in conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine.

Formation of elements of the structure the crop of corn hybrids under the influence of measures of cultivation technology

The main elements in the yield structure of the corn are formed depending on many factors. The elements of cultivation, along with the meteorological ones and the selection of hybrids take important place in this prosses. For the conditions of the left-bank Forest Steppe, we have researched complex scientific questions in the field of the peculiarities for the formation of the elements of the corn yield structure depending on the type of nitrogen fertilizers, foliar fertilizer application, the frequency of its application and the plant phenological stages. It is actuality for the chosen direction of scientific research. Accordingly, the goal of scientific research is to establish the peculiarities of the formation of the elements of the yield structure for corn depending on the technological elements in the cultivation. Field and laboratory methods were used in the research process. The statistical method was carried out using the SAS 9.4 package. The field trials were made in the field crop rotation of Bogatyrivske FG, Sumy Region, which is in the northern part of the Left Bank Forest Steppe. The period of research was 2019–2021. The soil of the research area is dark gray forestry. The object of the study is hybrids of corn of the medium-ripening group EC Asteroid (FAO 290.) and EC Concord (FAO 250). The types of nitrogen fertilizers and foliar fertilizers application by Humilin Stimul fertilizer according to the phenological stage in plant and the frequency of their application. The needing of application for UAN 32 in the nitrogen rate of 120 kg per hectare has been established. And foliar application with Humilin Stimul fertilizer at the rate of 3 kg/ha in the microstage 17–19 according to the BBCH scale was effective to. These fertilizers application increased the main the elements of the corn yield structure, and therefore, the total corn yield too. The increase in the value of structural elements for corn yield in the left-bank forest-steppe of Ukraine optimizes to the maximum realization of the genetic potential of the corn hybrids productivity with the application of nitrogen fertilizer UAN 32 and Humilin Stimul fertilizer in top dressing. Key words: corn, hybrids, productivity, nitrogen fertilizers, Humilin Stimul.

Features of root rot development in the spring wheat agrophytocenosis under various agricultural technologies in the forest-steppe of Western Siberia

Crop infection is a stress factor for plants. The development and spread of fungal phytopathogens (Fusarium, Bipolaris, Alternaria, etc.) of the root system leads to a significant decrease in both quantitative, and qualitative parameters of grain crop productivity. The current paper has presented the data (2011–2018) on the study of subsoil parts of spring wheat plants when they are damaged by root rots of various etiologies, depending on the forecrops, agricultural technology and plant protection products. In the conditions of the Omsk region, the introduction of rapeseed into field crop rotations is justified. The grain crop has a positive effect on improving the phytosanitary condition of the soil and crops. There has been established that the greatest spread of infection on the root system of plants is identified on wheat sown in fallow (35–46 %), the minimum spread after rapeseed (7–16 %). Seeds of bluegrass weeds during protective tillage are concentrated in an uppermost (0–10 cm) soil layer. The increased weed infestation of agrophytocenosis reduces the competitiveness of cultivated plants and, as a result, the population of B. sorokiniana conidia in soil increases, creating unfavorable conditions for spring wheat development, especially during the initial period of growth. The highest crop productivity, regardless of a forecrop, mean for intensification options, was provided by moldboard tillage with 3.02 t/ha (wheat sown in fallow); 2.60 t/ha (wheat sown after wheat) and 2.15 t/ha (wheat sown\ after rapeseed). With a protective tillage, there was grain productivity decrease on 0.20 t/ha (wheat sown in fallow); 0.22 t/ha (wheat sown after wheat) and 0.12 t/ha (wheat sown after rapeseed) t/ha, respectively, in comparison with a moldboard technology. When fertilizing and herbicidal-fungicidal treatment of sowings during a vegetation period of plants, there is a slight difference between agricultural technologies. The complex use of chemicals reduces the infection of agrophytocenosis on 7–11 % and increases spring wheat productivity upto 4.14 t/ha (on 98 %) relative to extensive agricultural technology.

Impact of no-till technology on the fertility of degraded and low-humus soils

The transition to innovative tillage technologies is currently an effective way to preserve and increase the fertility of agricultural land. The purpose of the work is to study the impact of no-till technology on the fertility of degraded and low-humus soils in the Middle Volga region. The main research method was the monitoring of agricultural lands, where traditional (control), minimum and no-till technologies for cultivating grain crops were used as part of field crop rotations. As a result of research conducted over fifteen years on degraded leached chernozems, light gray forest and low-humus soddy-podzolic soil types, it was found that the introduction of no-till technology contributes to an increase in the number of earthworms by 36% and soil invertebrates by 42%. At the same time, the ratio of different groups of soil mesofauna also changes. In particular, an increase in the number of organized predators (ground beetles, rove beetles, spiders, geofields) capable of regulating the number of harmful species of soil animals (for example, wireworm larvae) was revealed. No-till technology has a beneficial effect on agrophysical, agrochemical indicators of fertility and biological activity of degraded and low-humus soils. The crushing of straw and its use as mulch for fifteen years made it possible to form a positive balance of organic matter and increase the content of mobile phosphorus and exchangeable potassium in the soil by an average of 20% and 15%, respectively. Improving the nutritional regime of the soil contributes to a positive impact on the quality characteristics and grain yield of winter and spring wheat, winter rye, barley and corn. With the introduction of no-till technology as the main method of crop production, grain yield increases by 3 and 6% compared to the minimum and traditional technology.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Catch Crops and Tillage Systems for Carbon Farming

In modern agriculture, it is necessary to identify strategic steps that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions: on the one hand, reducing emissions by cutting down fuel consumption, reducing soil interference, limiting nitrogen losses when using fertilisers, and on the other hand – increasing the efficiency of carbon extraction from the atmosphere through plant photosynthesis and sequestration as organic matter of the soil. The purpose of this study is to figure out the influence on the carbon balance of such elements of the agricultural system as the system of tillage and the use of intermediate cover crops in a model 4-field crop rotation in the Steppe zone of Ukraine. This work was performed using the method of empirical calculations based on the online calculator of greenhouse gas emissions Cool Farm Tool. The influence of intermediate crops in two fields of crop rotation (after the early grain predecessors – wheat and winter barley) and tillage systems (traditional, reduced, and no-till) on the balance of carbon emissions and sequestration in the model 4-field crop rotation was analysed. According to the results, it was found that during the model 4-field crop rotation under the conditions of the classical system of tillage for sunflower and maize without intermediate crops and reduced processing for wheat and barley, the total greenhouse gas emissions amount to 4015 kg/ha of CO2 -eq. in 4 years. Switching to a reduced tillage system has been shown to reduce emissions by 30.1%. The addition of two intermediate crops in two crop rotation fields before spring crops allows obtaining a negative balance of greenhouse gas emissions of -377 kg/ha of CO2 -eq. during this period, and when switching to no-till for all crops -1221 kg/ha of CO2 -eq. for a 4-year rotation period. This study will help identify strategic steps and their potential contribution to the development and implementation of agricultural systems with minimal greenhouse gas emissions

MONITORING OF THE AGRICULTURAL LANDS AND SOIL FERTILITY LEVEL OF THE REPUBLIC OF ADYGEA

According to the “Regulations on the implementation of state monitoring of lands”, approved by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of November 28, 2002 No. 846, information is collected on the state of lands in the Russian Federation, processed and stored. Continuous monitoring of the use of lands is carried out on the basis of their intended purpose and permitted use, analysis and assessment of the qualitative state of land, taking into account the impact of natural and anthropogenic factors. Land monitoring is carried out by the federal executive authorities, the executive authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and local governments in accordance within their powers [1]. But, the ongoing monitoring does not provide the proper result for monitoring land plots and crop rotation fields as a production resource and is not carried out according to a number of parameters characterizing soil fertility that are essential for agricultural production. The specificity of accounting for agricultural lands as a natural resource used as the main means of production in agriculture requires different approaches and a wider list of indicators of the state of such lands and their fertility [2; 3]. In this regard, studies have been carried out to monitor agricultural lands and analyze the current state of the use of agricultural lands for effective agricultural production, and on its basis a comprehensive assessment of the ecological state of agricultural landscapes of the Republic of Adygea has been carried out. The authors have analyzed the state of agricultural lands at the present stage and identified possible ways of rational use of available crop lands. Factors limiting the placement of agricultural crops in specific areas of the republic and the reasons that reduce their productivity and product quality have also been established.