Basic soil cultivation and the yield of farm crops in a six-field rotation.

摘要

In a six-field rotation on southern chernozem soils in the SE Saratov region of Russia (fallow-winter wheat-grain sorghum-silage maize-spring wheat-grain sorghum), five different cultivation methods were compared: (1) stubble discing followed by mouldboard ploughing; (2) deep loosening plus cultivation without soil inversion; (3) ploughing without soil inversion; (4) stubble discing followed by deep loosening plus cultivation without soil inversion; and (5) stubble discing and cultivation with an anti-erosion cultivator. Data are presented on weediness, soil moisture, seedling emergence, and crop yields over the period 1986-1994. The results indicate that the method of basic cultivation did not affect the yield of winter wheat sown on clear fallow, but that (1) gave the best yield of spring wheat. The best yields of sorghum and maize were obtained by methods (1) and (4), and these methods also gave the most effective control of annual weeds. The method of cultivation did not affect field germination and plant survival.