Sensitivity and sustainability of soil quality indicators of Epicalcic Chernozem under soil erosion control technologies

Abstract

Depending on climate and crop management, soil characteristics respond differently to continuous erosion control tillage. This study aims to evaluate the sensitivity and sustainability of soil quality indicators under agrotechnologies of different erosion control effectiveness on moderately eroded Epicalcic Chernozem on sloped arable land. A three-year (2021−2023) field experiment was conducted under winter wheat and maize rotations (W-M-W and M-W-M) and application of conventional tillage along the slope (CT_S), conventional contour tillage (CT_C) and crop specific minimum tillage, with an inclusion of a cover crop (barley) after wheat and use it as green manure before maize (MT). The surface water runoff and soil losses were registered after each erosive precipitation. The soil microbial, chemical and physical properties were measured twice in а growing season at two depths. The relative decrease in soil losses under maize and wheat was better expressed under MT (58 % and 63 %) than under CTс (51 % and 42 %). The cover crop and minimum tillage under maize maintained higher SOC content, but only till next crop in the rotation. A higher positive effect on Cmic and the studied enzymes was reported mainly under MT as follows: Cmic, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, urase and protease under both crops; β glucosidase under maize. The enzymes activity was higher in autumn. The effect of MT on packing density, relative field capacity and S index was better pronounced in rotation W-MW. The rotation M-W-M had better effect on water stability of soil aggregates (WSA) and plant available water capacity.