Ecological, economic and bioenergy assessment of technologies for winter wheat cultivation after the perennial legume grasses

Abstract

Topicality. The economic crisis requires modern winter wheat cultivation technologies based on the principles of financial feasibility, energy saving and environmental safety. Issues. Changes in animal husbandry have led to the differentiation of fodder crops, which are used as predecessors of winter wheat. Now, other types of perennial legume grasses are grown along with its traditional predecessor meadow clover. However, it is necessary to carry out research and calculations due to the lack of results of the ecological, economic and bioenergy feasibility of non-traditional perennial legume grasses as predecessors of winter wheat. Aim. To investigate the indicators of ecological, economic and bioenergy efficiency of winter wheat cultivation after six species of perennial legume grasses as predecessors, such as meadow clover, alfalfa, sand esparcet, white sweet clover, bird's-foot-trefoil, eastern galega, and also after the maize for silage (control). Methods. Field studies with subsequent calculation of economic efficiency of winter wheat cultivation based on technological charts and costs, as well as the energy efficiency of the technologies under study according to the methods of O.K. Medvedovskyi, P.I. Ivanenko and VASKHNIL were conducted. Results. The highest grain yield was 6.52 t/ha when winter wheat was cultivated after maize for silage with high rates of mineral fertilizers and pesticides. When winter wheat was cultivated after perennial legume grasses, the rates of mineral fertilizers and pesticides were significantly lower. Accordingly, the grain yield of winter wheat grown after perennial legume grasses was by 11.1–38.2 % lower than after silage maize, and it was 4.03–5.80 t/ha. The highest grain yield was observed after meadow clover, and the lowest – after bird's-foot-trefoil. The highest level of profitability (90.7 %) is provided by the cultivation of winter wheat after the predecessor meadow clover. When winter wheat was grown after such predecessors as meadow clover, white sweet clover, sand esparcet and eastern galega with limited rates of pesticides and mineral fertilizers, the level of profitability was 5.7–46.8 % higher than indicator for winter wheat after silage maize with high rates of mineral fertilizers and pesticides At the same time, winter wheat profitability after bird's-foot-trefoil and alfalfa equaled to the indicator for silage maize. Conclusions. The technology of winter wheat cultivation after meadow clover, which provided the highest energy coefficient 4.96, is the most profitable and the least energy-intensive. Key words: economic assessment, bioenergy assessment, cultivation technology, winter wheat, predecessors.