Reduced primary soil tillage on the light loamy soils

Abstract

Two long-term eight and twelve years field experiments have been conducted to investigate the influence of reduced primary tillage on soil physical properties, weed infestation and crops yield. The soil of the experimental site was soddy-gley-podzolic, light loamy with low perennial weed infestation. Continuous shallow ploughing, rototilling, chisel loosening or deep chisel loosening had no significant influence on soil bulk density as compared with conventional ploughing. Periodical usage of shallow ploughing (deep ploughing each second or fourth year) did not increase weeds infestation during two cereal crops rotations. Continuous rototilling stimulated spreading of weeds, especially perennial species. Continuous shallow ploughing, shallow or deep loosening had no significant influence on crops weedness during first six year crop rotation, but during second rotation weeds infestation was higher. Long-term shallow soil tillage by plough, rotary cultivator, chisel cultivator or deep loosening by chisel cultivator did not decrease the yield of cereals, fodder beet, spring rape and perennial grasses.