Effect of tillage on the compaction of sod-podzolic soils for growing buckwheat in the Carpathian region of Ukraine

Abstract

Loss of productivity from excessive compaction of the soil can reach 60 %. Therefore, it is relevant to select the rational measures of the primary and pre-sowing tillage of the soil in order to achieve optimal its agro-physical parameters, the compaction particularly. The article shows the influence of the main and pre-sowing cultivation on the compaction of sod-podzolic soils and the yield of buckwheat in the Carpathian region of Ukraine. The research was conducted in the conditions of the Carpathian State Agricultural Research Station of NAAS and the Laboratory of the Department of Agriculture and Herbology of NULES of Ukraine during 2015–2017. The conducted researches showed that the best combination was of the primary chiseling of soil on 20–22 cm and pre-sowing, which included of early spring harrowing, harrowing with heavy tooth-boring harrows (as weed germination) and pre-sowing cultivation to the depth of sowing.This provided optimum soil compaction during the growing season of buckwheat (no more than 1.32 g / cm 3 ) and the highest yield of crops in experiments – 3.61 t / ha.