The state of agrocenosises and hayfield meadows in farm units of Prialeisk soil and climate zone (Altai Krai)

Abstract

This paper presents the results of the estimation of agrocenoses and hayfield meadows of Prialeisk soil and climate zone in Altai krai. For the period 2001-2021 there is a pronounced trend for increasing yields in almost all crops. The exception includes only permanent grasses for green feed which is explained by aridization of the climate and the established agrotechnology in recent decades. Data analysis shows that planting acreages have decreased for such crops as spring wheat (from 107.3 thousand ha in 2001 to 59.7 thousand ha in 2021), oat (from 8.6 thousand ha in 2001 to 6.2 thousand ha in 2021) and permanent grasses (from 15.4 thousand ha in 2001 to 4.8 thousand ha in 2021). When estimating the monitoring areas with agrocenoses on the water index calculated using Sentinel-2 data it was identified that for sainfoin, linen, sunflower, lucerne and corn the range of NDWI values ranged from -0.2 to 0.4. Whereas they were drought tolerant crops, stress was insignificant. Hayland haylages as forage lands did not have any negative index values. For oat and soy, the index indicators were lower, the values ranged from -0.2 to 0.25. A value range for wheat varied from -0.2 to 0.3. Buckwheat was rich in phytomass and the NDWI value range was from -0.1 to 0.45. That gave evidence of the sufficient water availability of the crop. Agrocenoses productivity depended on the level of the area moistening and the soil and climate conditions were fairly homogeneous on the selected territories as correlation between ARVI and NDWI values was 0.9. According to the satellite data the most productive ones were oat crops with sainfoin and buckwheat.

Keywords

• agrocenoses
• hayland
• haylages
• altai krai
• vegetation index
• biologization of agriculture