Steponavičienė, V.; Rudinskienė, A.; Žiūraitis, G.; Bogužas, V. The Impact of Tillage and Crop Residue Incorporation Systems on Agrophysical Soil Properties. Plants2023, 12, 3386.
Steponavičienė, V.; Rudinskienė, A.; Žiūraitis, G.; Bogužas, V. The Impact of Tillage and Crop Residue Incorporation Systems on Agrophysical Soil Properties. Plants 2023, 12, 3386.
Steponavičienė, V.; Rudinskienė, A.; Žiūraitis, G.; Bogužas, V. The Impact of Tillage and Crop Residue Incorporation Systems on Agrophysical Soil Properties. Plants2023, 12, 3386.
Steponavičienė, V.; Rudinskienė, A.; Žiūraitis, G.; Bogužas, V. The Impact of Tillage and Crop Residue Incorporation Systems on Agrophysical Soil Properties. Plants 2023, 12, 3386.
Abstract
This study investigates the long-term impact of soil tillage systems and crop residue incorporation on agrophysical properties. A long-term field experiment has been conducted since 1999 at the Ex-perimental Station of Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy. According to the latest edition of the International Soil Classification System, the soil in the experimental field was classified as Planosol, with a silty medium loam texture at a depth of 0–20 cm and a silty light loam at a depth of 20–40 cm. This investigation aimed to assess the long-term impact of reduced tillage systems, straw, and green manure combinations on soil physical properties, including soil shear strength, and soil aggregate stability. Studies were carried out on winter wheat crops in 2014, 2017, and 2023. The treatments were arranged using a split-plot design. In a two-factor field experiment, one part of the experimental field had straw removed, while the other part had the entire straw yield chopped and spread at harvest (Factor A). The subplot factor (Factor B) included three different tillage sys-tems: conventional deep ploughing, cover cropping for green manure with no-till, and no-tillage. Soil samples were analysed in the Laboratory of Agrobiology at Vytautas Magnus University Ag-riculture Academy. The findings indicate that long-term application of reduced tillage significantly increases soil shear strength. Shallower tillage depths lead to higher soil shear strength, while the effect of spreading plant residues is relatively lower. Long-term tillage of different intensities, spreading plant residues, and catch crop cultivation for green manure did not significantly affect soil structure. However, soil structural stability was found to be highly dependent on soil tillage. Cover cropping for green manure with no-till and no-tillage positively affected soil aggregate sta-bility in the upper (0–10 cm) and 10–25 cm layers.
Biology and Life Sciences, Agricultural Science and Agronomy
Copyright:
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