Effect of Soil Tillage Systems and Fertilizers on Agrophysical Properties of Soil and the Yield of Spring Wheat in the Volga-Vyatka Region

Abstract

Studies were conducted in 2016-2017 in Nizhny Novgorod region on gray forest soil in a link of "soybeans -spring wheat" crop rotation. The scheme of field experiment included 5 soil tillage systems: 1. Traditional moldboard tilling based on autumn plowing with PN-3-35 at 20-22 cm (control); 2. Non-moldboard "deep" cultivation -autumn plowing with PN-3-35 (without moldboard) at 20-22 cm; 3. Non-moldboard "shallow" cultivation with the Pottinger stubble cultivator to a depth of 14-16 cm; 4. Minimal tillage with the disc harrow XM 44660 NOTHAD to a depth of 10-12 cm; 5. Zero tilling (No-till) with the Sunflower 9421-20 drill. For each soil tillage system, the effectiveness of the action of mineral fertilizers (N60P60K60) and straw in combination with StiMiX®Niva biological preparation (2 l/ha) and mineral nitrogen (10 kg of active matter per 1 ton of straw) was studied. Optimal density of the arable layer of gray forest soil for the growth and development of spring wheat was formed after autumn plowing for all years of the study (2014-2017). By the time of sowing, the bulk weight of the soil in all the studied cultivation technologies under spring wheat in crop rotation increased to 1.41-1.50 g/cm3 in the arable (0-20 cm) soil layer. Soil cultivation regulated the conditions for seeds germination in 0-10 cm soil layer to optimal values (1.29-1.34 g / cm3). No-till technology led to the compaction of gray forest soil both in the initial period of spring wheat vegetation (1.43 g/cm3) and at the end of vegetation (1.48 g/cm3). It negatively affected the growth and development of spring wheat and, as a result, its yield. A higher moisture content in the arable layer of the soil (0-20 cm) at the beginning of spring wheat sowing accumulated in the zero-tilling variant (19.9%). Variants with shallow plowing and minimum tillage with a disc harrow occupied an intermediate position between deep plowing and "direct" sowing as to the content of moisture in the soil. The highest yield of spring wheat of the Ester variety (3.99 t /ha) was obtained against the background of non-moldboard "shallow" tillage by the combined use of mineral fertilizers (N60P60K60) and ammonium nitrate (N10) applied for the decomposition of post-harvest plant residues.

Keywords

• crop rotation link
• gray forest soil
• biological preparation
• mineral fertilizers
• fertility
• field experience
• density of aggregation
• soil moisture
• tillage tool