Reducing tillage in Canadian organic cropping systems is a priority to preserve soil quality and increase long term sustainability. Novel methods for management of cover crops offer farmers the opportunity to reduce both tillage and herbicide use during this phase of the crop rotation but require further investigation across a range of cropping systems. The objective of this study was to compare the blade roller, flail mower and wide blade cultivator (noble blade) with standard tillage for management of an annual pea-barley (Pisum sativum L. – Hordeum vulgare L.) green manure in the Canadian prairies. The experiment was conducted twice at Carman, Manitoba (long-term organic management) and Lethbridge, Alberta (previous herbicide and fertilizer use) from 2010-2012. The green manure was planted in spring of year 1 and grown until pea full bloom when five management treatments were applied; 1) standard tillage with a field disc 2) blade roller, 3) blade rolled once plus tillage in late fall and spring, 4) wide blade cultivator and 5) flail mower. Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was planted in spring of year 2. The effect of management treatment on surface residue, soil nitrogen, soil microclimate, weed population dynamics and subsequent spring wheat yield was evaluated. At Carman, managing green manure without tillage (blade roller or flail mower) significantly increased winter annual and perennial weed pressure and reduced soil nitrate availability; these factors contributed to wheat yield reductions in both years compared to standard tillage. Wide blade cultivation and blade rolling plus tillage maintained crop yield at one and both years, respectively, compared to tillage. Without sufficient mulch for weed suppression, soil disturbance was required to control weeds and ensure adequate nitrogen uptake in the crop. Replacing one tillage operation with blade rolling reduces energy costs and erosion risk without sacrificing yield. At Lethbridge, previous herbicide and fertilizer use masked the effect of green manure management. Markedly different results from Carman and Lethbridge emphasize that the adaptability of reduced tillage green manure management is site-specific due to differences in climate and cropping history. This research highlights important differences in the efficacy, erosion risk, weed control, nitrogen availability, main crop yield and energy savings associated with each management method.

Reducing tillage in Canadian organic cropping systems is a priority to preserve soil quality and increase long term sustainability. Novel methods for management of cover crops offer farmers the opportunity to reduce both tillage and herbicide use during this phase of the crop rotation but require further investigation across a range of cropping systems. The objective of this study was to compare the blade roller, flail mower and wide blade cultivator (noble blade) with standard tillage for management of an annual pea-barley (Pisum sativum L. – Hordeum vulgare L.) green manure in the Canadian prairies. The experiment was conducted twice at Carman, Manitoba (long-term organic management) and Lethbridge, Alberta (previous herbicide and fertilizer use) from 2010-2012. The green manure was planted in spring of year 1 and grown until pea full bloom when five management treatments were applied; 1) standard tillage with a field disc 2) blade roller, 3) blade rolled once plus tillage in late fall and spring, 4) wide blade cultivator and 5) flail mower. Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was planted in spring of year 2. The effect of management treatment on surface residue, soil nitrogen, soil microclimate, weed population dynamics and subsequent spring wheat yield was evaluated. At Carman, managing green manure without tillage (blade roller or flail mower) significantly increased winter annual and perennial weed pressure and reduced soil nitrate availability; these factors contributed to wheat yield reductions in both years compared to standard tillage. Wide blade cultivation and blade rolling plus tillage maintained crop yield at one and both years, respectively, compared to tillage. Without sufficient mulch for weed suppression, soil disturbance was required to control weeds and ensure adequate nitrogen uptake in the crop. Replacing one tillage operation with blade rolling reduces energy costs and erosion risk without sacrificing yield. At Lethbridge, previous herbicide and fertilizer use masked the effect of green manure management. Markedly different results from Carman and Lethbridge emphasize that the adaptability of reduced tillage green manure management is site-specific due to differences in climate and cropping history. This research highlights important differences in the efficacy, erosion risk, weed control, nitrogen availability, main crop yield and energy savings associated with each management method.

Master of Science / Department of Agricultural Economics / Jeffery R. Williams / This study examines the economic profitability of reduced-tillage and no-tillage systems for corn, soybeans, and grain sorghum production in annual rotation with winter wheat, and monoculture wheat and grain sorghum in south-central Kansas. Net returns to land and management per acre for each of 13 production systems are calculated several different ways. Net returns are calculated using the 10-year average yield for each crop, the average crop price from 2009, and 2009 input prices. A distribution of net returns is also calculated using the actual historical yields and crop prices from 1997 to 2006 and 2009 input prices. This process is repeated, except average crop prices from 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 are now used. Finally, net returns are calculated using simulated yield and price distributions based on actual historical yields, four historical monthly price series, and 2009 input costs. Overall, the reduced-tillage wheat-soybean systems (RTWS) have the greatest net returns for each of the net return distributions. No-tillage wheat-soybean (NTWS) generally has the second highest net returns. Stochastic Efficiency with Respect to a Function (SERF) is used to determine the preferred management strategies under various risk preferences. SERF analysis indicates that RTWS is the system most preferred by all producers, regardless of their level of risk aversion. NTWS is typically the second most preferred system to RTWS. Using historical annual prices for 1997 to 2006 and the simulated monthly prices series for 2006 to 2009 and 2007 to 2009 to calculate the net return distributions, managers with higher levels of risk aversion prefer reduced-tillage wheat-grain sorghum (RTWG) over no-tillage wheat-soybean (NTWS). Sensitivity analysis shows that as the price of glyphosate falls, no-till systems become relatively more profitable. SERF analysis using the historic yields, 2006 to 2009 simulated monthly prices, and 2009 input costs with reduced glyphosate prices indicate that NTWS would be the system most preferred by producers at all levels of risk aversion. RTWS closely follows NTWS as the next preferred system with those conditions also for all levels of risk aversion.

Conservation tillage programs have been successfully implemented for many agronomic cropping systems, but adoption of reduced tillage for vegetable crops has been slow. As many conventionally managed conservation tillage programs rely on synthetic herbicides for clean cultivation, alternative methods must be devised to suppress weed pressure and reduce reliance on mechanical cultivation to aid in the development of reduced tillage programs for organic cropping system. Strip tillage is a reduced tillage method that is well suited to vegetable crop production, and the utilization of cover crops and living mulches between rows provides a viable weed management option for organic systems. The adoption of reduced tillage and the inclusion of cover crops and living mulches have the potential to alter the agroecosystem in ways that impact plant development and crop yield, and augment weed, insect and disease pressure. The current study focuses on the use of strip tillage and the interplanting of spring-seeded living mulches and overwintered cover crops for early-season organic broccoli production. Data were collected on ground cover provided by cover crops and living mulches, crop physiological status (petiole sap nitrate, photosynthetic rate, plant growth and crop biomass) and pest pressure (weed relative abundance, insect density and disease incidence and severity). Living mulches provided the greatest ground coverage when cover crop establishment was poor; however, when cover crops produced a large amount of biomass, living mulch establishment was suppressed. Decreases in herbivorous pests and suppression of grassy and cool-season weed species were also observed, indicating that strip tillage and the use of spring-seeded living mulches and overwintered cover crops may provide beneficial pest management strategies. Decreases in crop growth and biomass, and decreases in petiole sap nitrate were observed, however, indicating reductions in crop vigor and yield may be expected with the implementation of strip tillage and living mulch crops. It is suggested that the utilization of strip tillage and living mulch crops may provide benefits to pest management which may outweigh declines in yield.

Reduced tillage and living mulches are alternative management strategies that can improve soil quality by minimizing disturbance and building soil organic matter. Weed suppression by these two practices alone is often insufficient to avoid crop yield losses, but their performance in an integrated system is not well understood. This project investigated the production of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) and dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in conventional tillage and strip tillage with a living mulch of teff (Eragrostis tef Zucc.) and Korean lespedeza (Kummerowia stipulacea Maxim.). Yields of pepper and bean were generally higher under conventional tillage without living mulch. Weed biomass was not influenced by tillage, and was adequately suppressed by teff in a year when conditions for teff growth were favorable. Mowing appeared to suppress weed growth but not living mulch growth. Soil nitrate and ammonium concentration was generally higher under conventional tillage without living mulch. Delaying living mulch seeding by 15 days after crop establishment generally did not affect weed suppression or crop yield. Soil aggregate stability was not consistently affected by tillage or living mulch. Increased mowing frequency, living mulch planting delay, or distance between the crop row and the living mulch may be necessary to achieve acceptable yields with living mulches.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:31:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-06-01Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:41:52Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 bertolini_ev_dr_botfca.pdf: 976816 bytes, checksum: 33d964ee6a502afaba9948bd767da98f (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Cada sistema de manejo do solo é trabalhado de maneira própria, alterando de forma diferenciada as propriedades químicas, físicas e biológicas do solo, podendo requerer modificações nas recomendações e no manejo da adubação. Com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito da antecipação da adubação de semeadura, de dois sistemas de manejo do solo e dois espaçamentos entrelinhas no desempenho da cultura do milho, foi realizado este estudo. O experimento foi instalado e conduzido na Fazenda Experimental Lageado, pertencente à Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas (FCA) da Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Campus de Botucatu, nos anos agrícolas de 2005/2006 e 2006/2007, em Nitossolo Vermelho Distroférrico. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi de blocos ao acaso com parcelas subsubdivididas e quatro repetições. As parcelas foram constituídas pelos sistemas de manejo do solo (plantio direto e preparo reduzido, caracterizado pela escarificação do solo por meio de equipamento provido de disco de corte da palhada e rolo nivelador/destorroador, trabalhando na profundidade entre 25 e 30 cm), as subparcelas pelas formas de adubação (adubação de pré-semeadura realizada na superfície do solo em área total antes da semeadura do milho e adubação convencional) e as subsubparcelas pelos espaçamentos entrelinhas (90 e 45 cm), totalizando 8 tratamentos. Os resultados obtidos foram submetidos ao teste de Tukey a 5% de probabilidade para comparar as médias entre os sistemas de manejo do solo, as formas de adubação, os espaçamentos entrelinhas e os desdobramentos das interações entre esses três fatores. As análises estatísticas demonstraram que o sistema plantio direto apresentou maior densidade do solo e resistência mecânica do solo à penetração, quando comparado ao preparo reduzido. Na operação de adubação de pré-semeadura os sistemas de manejo do solo... / Each soil tillage system is worked in proper way, modifying of differentiated form the chemical, physical and biological soil properties, and may require adaptations of fertilization recommendations and management. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of sowing fertilization anticipation, two soil tillage systems and two row spacing on performance of the corn crop. The experiment was carried out at the “Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas” (FCA), “Universidade Estadual Paulista” (UNESP), Botucatu-SP campus, from October 2005 to May 2007, in a Dystric Nitosol (FAO, 1974). The experimental design was in randomized blocks with split-split-plots and four repetitions. The main plots consisted of two soil tillage systems (no-tillage and reduced tillage with chisel plow with cut disk and planning roll, working at 25 to 30 cm deep), the split-plots of fertilizer application methods (surface fertilizer application before corn sowing and fertilizer application conventional) and split-split-plots of row spacings (0.90 m and 0.45 m), totalizing 8 treatments. Obtained results were analyzed by Tukey test at 5% of probability for comparing averages. Statistical analysis showed that no-tillage system had higher density as well as mechanical soil resistance to penetration, when compared to reduced tillage. For fertilizer application before corn sowing the soil tillage systems did not influence the traction force, bar power demanded, effective field capacity, demanded time, energy specific consumption and hourly fuel consumption; the reduced tillage showed higher area fuel consumption. For corn sowing it was observed that no-tillage system showed lower traction force, bar power demanded, energy specific consumption, hourly and area consumption of fuel. The 0.45 m row spacing showed higher traction force, bar power demanded, energy specific consumption... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Improved soil water conservation has become an important subject in semi-arid areas due to low and erratic rainfall which is often combined with higher temperatures to provide unsuitable conditions for successful crop productivity. Dryland agriculture remains vulnerable to yield losses in these areas. This calls for implementation of conservation agricultural practices that would improve dryland maize productivity. An on-station field trial was started in 2007 at Zeekoegat experimental farm (24 kilometers north of Pretoria), to establish the effect of different conservation agriculture practices on soil and plant properties. The experimental lay-out was a split-plot randomized complete block design, replicated three times, with each replicate split into two tillage systems (whole plots) and then each whole plot (reduced tillage (RT) and conventional tillage (CT)) was subdivided into 12 treatments (two fertilizer levels x 6 cropping patterns). The present study explored the impacts of different tillage practices, cropping patterns and fertilization levels on soil water content, soil temperature and dryland maize productivity during the 2010/11 and 2011/12 growing seasons. To improve the quality of soil water content (SWC) data, the effect of correction for concretions on soil bulk density and the relationship between volumetric soil water content (SWC) vs neutron water meter (NWM) count ratios was also investigated. Corrections for concretions on soil bulk density did not improve NWM calibrations in this study. In all seasons, significantly higher mean SWC was found under RT treatment than in CT at all depths except at 0-300 mm. For example, during the 2010/11 growing season, SWC under RT was 1.32 % and 1.10 % higher than CT for the 300 – 1350 mm and 0 – 1350 mm soil profiles, respectively. The mean weekly SWC was consistently higher for RT throughout both the growing seasons. Significantly higher SWC was also found under monoculture at all soil depths (except at 0-300 mm during 2011/12) compared to treatments under intercropping. For example, during 2010/11, at 0-300mm, SWC under maize monoculture was 1.72 % higher than under intercropping. The maximum and minimum soil temperatures were significantly higher at 100 and 400 mm soil depths under CT than under RT during 2010/11. During 2011/12, significantly higher minimum soil temperatures at 100 mm depth and lower temperature differences (maximum – minimum soil temperatures) at 400 mm depth were observed under intercropping. Despite the higher SWC and reduced soil temperature under RT, the maize seeds emergence rate was lower and plant stand was reduced. This is attributed to other factors associated with RT systems such as increased soil penetration resistance which often leads to poor root development. The lower soil temperatures under RT were generally within the range that would not be expected to inhibit growth and uptake of nutrients. Slower growth under RT resulted in lower biomass and grain yield. Plants that received high fertilizer rates grew more vigorously than plants under lower fertilizer levels when water was not a limiting factor, but produced lower grain yield due to water shortage in March, especially in 2011/12. The harvest index was therefore lower for treatments that received high fertilizer levels. Maize biomass under monoculture x low fertilizer level was significantly lower compared to other fertilizer x cropping pattern treatments. Maize plant growth under intercropping was improved throughout the seasons, which led to significantly higher grain yield than under maize monoculture. It is therefore recommended that farmers in dryland areas take the advantage of intercropping maize with legumes to obtain higher maize productivity. Further research should focus on investigating the possibility of roots restrictions occurring under RT conditions and under various environmental and soil conditions. / Dissertation (MScAgric)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lk2014 / Plant Production and Soil Science / MScAgric / Unrestricted

O método de plantio manual de mudas de árvores é predominante no Brasil. Para a redução dos custos com mão-de-obra, aumento de produtividade e qualidade operacional, o plantio manual deve ser substituído total ou parcialmente por operações mecanizadas. Com esse enfoque foram avaliadas as atividades de plantios manual e mecanizado de eucaliptos, bem como de preparo mecanizado do solo, em área pertencente a uma empresa florestal. O plantio manual foi feito por onze trabalhadores rurais, com o uso da transplantadora de acionamento manual. O plantio mecanizado foi realizado por uma máquina de transplantio de mudas, operada por um trabalhador rural e tracionada por um trator. Na área do estudo foram locadas duas parcelas amostrais, formando uma malha de setenta e cinco pontos amostrais para cada sistema de plantio. Os itens do preparo do solo avaliados foram a profundidade do sulco, o diâmetro dos torrões e o volume cilíndrico dos galhos de madeira sobre a faixa de sulcamento. O itens dos sistemas de plantio avaliados foram a presença de defeitos da operação, a distância entre plantas, a altura da parte aérea das mudas e a sobrevivência das plantas após um mês de idade. As ferramentas da qualidade total utilizadas foram os histogramas, o diagrama de causa e efeito, os gráficos de Pareto e de controle. As análises estatísticas dos resultados foram feitas pelo teste t e pelo teste de qui-quadrado Para avaliar o desempenho operacional do sistema manual estimou-se somente a capacidade de campo operacional. No sistema mecanizado foram estimadas as capacidades de campo efetiva e operacional. Nos dois sistemas de plantio foram estimados também os custos horários e operacionais das máquinas e da mão-de-obra. Entre os sistemas de plantio, a distância entre plantas foi diferente estatisticamente, com melhor distribuição das mudas no sistema manual. O número de defeitos por muda plantada foi semelhante estatisticamente entre os sistemas de plantio. Os principais defeitos do sistema manual foram as mudas plantadas com colo encoberto pelo solo e as mudas plantadas fora do centro do sulco, os quais representaram 72,8% do total. No sistema mecanizado, esses defeitos, somados às mudas não plantadas e mudas não firmes, representaram 76,7% do total. A altura da parte aérea foi diferente estatisticamente, tanto no plantio como um mês após. A sobrevivência das mudas efetivamente plantadas, após um mês de idade, foi semelhante estatisticamente. Concluiu-se, assim, que a qualidade em ambos os sistemas de plantio não variaram dentro de padrões aceitáveis pela empresa florestal. O tempo produtivo do sistema de plantio mecanizado foi igual a 48,2%, gerando uma capacidade de campo operacional 60,0% menor do que no sistema manual. Inferiu-se que o número médio de mudas plantadas por trabalhador por hora foi igual a 95 no sistema manual, enquanto que no sistema mecanizado foi igual a 205. O custo operacional estimado do sistema mecanizado foi 44,9% maior do que no sistema manual, fato devido a baixa capacidade de campo operacional observada no sistema mecanizado. / Hand planting of tree seedlings is the predominant method in Brazil. In order to reduce labor costs, increase productivity, and improve operational quality, hand planting should be totally or partially replaced by machine operations. Having this in mind, eucalyptus’ hand and machine planting activities were assessed, as well as those of mechanical tillage, in an area belonging to a forestation company. Hand planting had been carried out by 11 rural workers by using a planting tube. Machine planting had been carried out by using a seedling transplant machine, which was operated by a rural worker and pulled by a tractor. In the study area, two sampling parts were allocated, forming a web with 75 sampling points for each planting system. Tillage items that were assessed included furrow depth, stone diameter, and the cylindrical volume of wood branches on the furrow belt. Planting system items that were assessed included the presence of operation defects, distance between plants, height of the top portion of the seedlings, and plant survival after one month of age. Total quality tools included histograms, cause and effect diagram, control graphs, and Pareto's graphs. Statistical analyses of the results were performed by using test and qui-square test. To evaluate hand planting system’s operational performance, only the operational field capacity was estimated. As for the machine system, effective and operational field capacities were estimated. Labor and machine hourly costs, as well as the operational costs for both planting systems were assessed. When comparing planting systems, the distance between plants was statistically different, with hand planting system showing better seedling distribution. The number of defects per planted seedling was statistically similar for both planting systems. The major defects in the hand planting system were seedlings planted with soil-covered base and those planted out of the furrow center, which represented 72.8% of the total. With the machine system, these defects, in addition to non-planted and loose seedlings, represented 76.7% of the total. The height of the top portion was statistically different, both when planting and after one month. The survival of effectively planted seedlings after one month of age was statistically similar. Thus, we concluded that the quality of both planting systems did not vary within the standards that are acceptable for the forestation company. Machine planting system's productive time was 48.2%, and generated an estimated operational field capacity 60.0% less to that for the hand planting system. The average number of planted seedlings per worker by hour was inferred to be equal to 95 in the hand planting system, whereas it was equal to 205 in the machine system. The operational cost for the machine system was estimated to be 44.9% greater to that for the hand planting system, which is due to the low operational field capacity observed in the machine system.

Dirvožemio fizikinės savybės yra svarbios dirvožemio drėgmės ir oro režimui, augalų apsirūpinimui maisto medžiagomis. Jos daro įtaką augalų biologinio potencialo formavimuisi, taigi ir derlingumui. Iki šiol Lietuvoje išlieka vyraujanti tradicinė žemės dirbimo sistema, paremta rudeniniu giliu dirvų arimu verstuviniais plūgais. Pastaraisiais metais Lietuvoje pastebimas vis didėjantis susidomėjimas supaprastintu žemės dirbimu. Daugiau nei 50 šalies ūkio subjektų jau taiko praktikoje supaprastintą žemės dirbimą ir, tikėtina, kad ateityje šis skaičius dar didės. Todėl moksliniai tyrimai, kuriuose būtų tiriamos alternatyvios įprastiniam žemės dirbimui sistemos, yra aktualūs. Naudojant vis intensyvesnes žemės dirbimo ir tręšimo technologijas dirvožemyje ima stigti organinių medžiagų, todėl sparčiai vyksta dirvožemio degradacija. Organinės medžiagos lėtina ir stabdo dirvožemyje vykstančius neigiamus procesus, todėl moksliniai tyrimai, susiję su žaliąja trąša bei šiaudų įterpimu į dirvą, tampa vis aktualesnė žemdirbių tarpe. Stacionarus dviejų faktorių lauko eksperimentas įrengtas LŽŪU bandymų stotyje. Bandymų vietos dirvožemis – giliau karbonatingas glėjiškas išplautžemis (Endocarcalic Endohipogleyc Luvisol), vidutinio sunkumo priemolis ant smėlingo lengvo priemolio. Bandymų metu tirta supaprastinto žemės dirbimo, šiaudų bei žaliosios trąšos įterpimo ir tiesioginės sėjos į neįdirbtą dirvą įtaka dirvos fizikinėms savybėms ir sliekų kiekiui. Gauti bandymų rezultatai patvirtina, kad... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Soil physical properties are significant for soil moisture and air movement treatment, providing nutrients for plants. They affect the biological potential formation of plants, and therefore fertility. So far, the traditional tillage system, based on deep mouldboard ploughing in autumn, is predominant in Lithuania. In these latter years, the interest in reduced soil tillage is increasing in Lithuania. More than 50 national agriculture subjects are already practising reduced soil tillage and it seems likely that this number would increase. So that scientific inquiries in alternatives of conventional tillage system are relevant. While using intensive soil tillage and fertilization technologies, begins the deficiency of organic matters and the degradation of soil is occuring rapidly. Organic matter slows down and stops the ongoing negative processes in the soil and therefore research related to green manure and straw incorporation becomes more and more important among farmers. Stationary two-factor field experiment is located at the Experimental Station of Lithuanian University of Agriculture. The soil of the experimental area (Endocarcalic Endohipogleyc Luvisol), medium weight loam over light sandy loam. The influence of reduced soil tillage systems or no-tillage (direct drilling) systems on soil physical properties and quantity of earthworms is analyzed in the experiment. The test results confirm that reduced soil tillage or no-tillage (direct drilling) systems are not... [to full text]

Magistrantūros studijų baigiamajame darbe pateikiami ilgalaikio supaprastinto žemės dirbimo ir tiesioginės sėjos įtaka žieminių kviečių agrocenozei tyrimo rezultatai. Darbo objektas – pagrindinio žemės dirbimo būdai žieminiams kviečiams. Darbo metodai: buvo tirti tokie žemės dirbimo būdai: 1) įprastinis arimas 23–25 cm gyliu; 2) seklusis arimas 12–14 cm gyliu; 3) gilusis purenimas 23–25 cm gyliu; 4) seklusis purenimas 12–15 cm gyliu; 5) tiesioginė sėja į neįdirbtą dirvą. Atlikti šie stebėjimai: Dirvos agrocheminių savybių nustatymas, piktžolėtumo nustatymas, žieminių kviečių daigų tankumas, sliekų kiekis dirvoje, produktyvių stiebų tankumas, derliaus apskaita, bei 1000 grūdų masė. Darbo rezultatai. Nustatyta, kad tiesioginė sėja, bei gilusis purenimas esmingai padidino trumpaamžių piktžolių daigų tankumą žieminių kviečių pasėlyje, o taikant seklaus purenimo būdą esmingai padidėjo daugiamečių piktžolių daigų tankumas lyginant su įprastai suarta dirva. Žieminių kviečių vegetacijos pabaigoje esmingai padidėjo daugiamečių piktžolių masė sekliai artuose, giliai purentuose ir sekliai purentuose laukeliuose, lyginant su įprastiniu arimu. Įprastinį arimą pakeitus giliu purenimu, sekliu purenimu ir tiesiogine sėja į neįdirbtą dirvą, atsinaujinus žieminių kviečių vegetacijai nustatyta esmingai didesnis dirvinio garstuko daigų tankumas. Taikant ilgalaikę tiesioginę sėją žieminių kviečių vegetacijos pabaigoje nustatyta esmingai didesnis paprastosios rietmenės daigų skaičius ir masė... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Master's thesis presents the results of the investigation of effects of long-term reduced tillage and direct seeding on winter wheat agrocenoses. Object of work – are the main methods of tillage for winter wheat. Research methods: the following tillage methods were investigated: 1) conventional ploughing at the depth of 23–25 cm, 2) shallow ploughing at the depth of 12–14 cm, 3) deep loosening at the depth of 23–25 cm, 4) shallow loosening at the depth of 12–15 cm; 5) direct seeding into uncultivated soil. The following sampling were performed: soil agrochemical properties, weed abundance, winter wheat seedling density, quantity of earthworms in soil, productive stems density, yield and 1000 grain weight. Results. It was found that direct seeding and deep loosening substantially increased the annual weed seedling density of winter wheat crop, while the shallow method of loosening significantly increased weed seedling density compared to normal ploughing soil. The mass of perennial weeds has increased substantially at the end of the winter wheat growing season in shallow ploughing, deeply loosened and shallow ploughing plots compared to conventional ploughing. When normal ploughing was replaced with deep loosening, shallow loosening and direct seeding in the uncultivated soil after the recurrence of winter wheat vegetation, the density of Sinapis arvensis L. shoots increased significantly. When applying long-term direct seeding at the end of winter wheat growing season, the... [to full text]