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The results of the study on the comparative assessment of different tillage methods in the field crop rotation with different levels of mineral nutrition (N30P30 and N60P30 kg of active ingredient/ ha) are presented. The experiment was carried out on low-humus low-carbonate chernozem of the forest-steppe zone of Eastern Trans-Baikal Territory in 2012–2014. The zoned variety of Buryatskaya-79 spring wheat, and Metis oat variety were used for sowing. Low-cost methods of soil tillage were studied, providing for the preservation and improvement of soil fertility, an increase in the productivity of grain and fodder crops, and a decrease in material and energy costs. Replacement of the basic tillage with a PN-4-35 plow with a ring roller in the third and fourth crop rotation fields by surface tillage with a Stepnyak-7.4 cultivator and direct sowing on the stubble with a PPM Ob4-ZT seeder when applying mineral fertilizers at a rate of N60P30 kg of active ingredient/ha had a positive effect on the condition of the soil. The following indicators of soil fertility were achieved: structural coefficient 1.28–1.38, organic matter content 3.15–3.33%, productive moisture content in the 0–50 cm layer 29.2–31.8 mm, the release of carbon dioxide 1.810–1.969 kg per 1 hour, the content of Р2О5 in the 0–20 cm layer 71–96 mg/kg of soil, the content of K2O – 57–82 mg/kg of soil. An increase in the yield of oat grain of 0.16–0.21 t/ha, the green mass of annual grasses of 3.44.0 t/ha, the collection of feed units of 0.32–0.34 t/ha, a reduction in the cost of fuel and lubricants by 31.2-36.4%, and an increase in profitability by 25.0–40.3% were achieved.

Application of boron (B) to wheat in conservation rice–wheat cropping systems may have a residual effect that improves productivity and grain quality of the following rice crop. Two field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of soil residual B on the performance, grain quality and grain yield of rice and soil biological properties under puddled transplanted (PuTR) and direct-seeded (DSR) rice systems on silty loam soil. A preceding wheat crop was sown using two different tillage systems, plough tillage (PTW) and no tillage (NTW), in combination with four B application treatments: control (no B), soil application (SA, 1 kg ha–1), seed priming (0.01 M), and foliar spray (0.01 M). After wheat harvest, rice was planted in PuTR and DSR systems. The conservation tillage system in both wheat and rice (NTW–DSR) significantly increased soil organic carbon (by 18%) and soil microbial biomass carbon (by 5%) over conventional tillage systems (PTW–PuTR). Improved soil health and availability of soil residual B in the NTW-SA–DSR system improved grain yield (by 23–37%) and grain quality (grain protein by 3–8%, amylose content by 26%) over PTW–PuTR irrespective of B application method. Best economic return and net benefit were recorded in the order NTW-SA–DSR > PTW-SA–DSR > NTW-SA–PuTR. Thus, the application of B to NTW had a strong residual effect on grain quality and profitability of the following rice crop. In rice–wheat cropping systems on a silty loam soil, conservation tillage systems (NTW–DSR) significantly improved the availability of soil residual B and soil health and increased economic return.

Individual field operations such as ploughing, clod breaking, stubble clearance and leveling are necessary for the preparation of even and fine seed bed. These operations consume time and labor which become more economical. Strip tillage, direct paddy sowing, Zero tillage, requires minimum soil manipulation and no tillage respectively, where there incur reduced cost of operation. Timely sowing and proper weed control results in bringing out good returns. Farmers have many options for choosing equipment that is required to grow and harvest a crop. Farmers may own their own equipment, lease it, or have the field operations completed using custom operators. Considering the above facts and importance of paddy, in-order to reduce cost of cultivation a multi crop roto drill cum herbicide applicator was developed by combining three varied machines such as rotovator, seed drill and herbicide applicant or equipment at College of Agricultural Engineering, Bapatla. A tractor drawn roto drill cum herbicide sprayer was developed, evaluated and compared its cost economics with individual operations. Roto drill is the combination of rotavator, seed hopper and rocker sprayer pump. It pulverizes the soil, drills the seed and applies herbicide in single pass of tractor. The cost activity of multi crop roto drill cum herbicide applicator for performing three tasks was estimated as Rs/h. 641.00. While the individual costs of operation for tillage, sowing and herbicide application were computed as Rs/h. 571.00, 540.00 and 95.00 respectively. The cost of operation per one hour for developed multi crop roto drill cum herbicide applicator was 46.72% less when compared with costs of individual tasks.

The present study was conducted in wheat to study effect of four tillage practices viz mold board plowing to a depth of 25 cm followed by rotavator (PT25 + R), mold board plowing to a depth of 14 c...

Soil compaction in the plow layer of soils is becoming a serious concern because of conventional tillage practices adopted by sugarcane growers utilizing a rotavator, particularly in medium to heav...

The paper provides results of assessed remediation efficiency in a radioactively contaminated territory by ploughing soil. Efficiency assessment of three soil cultivation technologies was made. Research has shown efficiency in ploughing soil in terms of reduced surface contamination of the territory. EDR levels and levels of β-particle flux density after reploughing of research spots, on the average, have been reduced by 56% and 87% respectively. Radionuclide transfer from the topsoil to underlying horizons can be observed. Maximum activity concentrations at some research spots can be found in soil layers of 20-25 cm. A change in the soil texture is found at remediated spots and in humus content which may point to both deflationary processes and moving silt fractions and humus into the soil depth under gravity and affected by precipitation. The paper also considers the issue of radionuclide carry-away by plants onto the soil daylight surface and the impact by the type of plant root system on this process; an assessment is given to the effect by remediation technologies selected on the process of remediated spots overgrowing with vegetation. On the whole, it is found that soil ploughing to a depth of 30 cm is the most preferable technology with a backset of 180° followed by sowing with steppe vegetation.

The study assessed effect of farm machinery on both physical and hydraulic properties of agricultural soils used for rice cultivation in northern Ghana. Two tractor models were used for the field experiment with field tests and soil sampling points classified as tractor tyre passage area (TTPA), ploughed area (PA) and unploughed area (UPA). The study used Randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 3 blocks, 3 treatments, 9 replications and data were analysed using Graph Pad Prism, 8 software and Microsoft Excel 2016. Soil aggregate composition varied for the 3 study sites and sampling locations with a sandy loam soil textural class. Soil dry bulk density ranged from 1.11 to 1.61 g cm-3 with TPA recording 1.42 to 1.61 gcm-3 indicating high level of soil compaction. Unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of 2.01 × 10-4 to 1.05 × 10-3, 1.61 × 10-4 to 6.50 ×10-4 and 1.89 × 10-4 to 7.19 × 10-4 cm s-1 were recorded for PA, TTPA and UPA respectively. Low unsaturated hydraulic conductivities were recorded for TTPA compared to other treatments. Overall, average cumulative infiltration revealed a relatively lower infiltration for TTPA compared to PA and UPA. Specific TTPA for a typical ploughing activity was estimated as 2107. 0 and 2895.5 m2 ha-1 for two tractor models, translating to 28.6 and 21.0% ha-1. respectively. The study recorded appreciable soil compaction resulting from a typical tractor plough activity on agricultural soils which might negatively impact soil water conductivity as well as plant growth and development. Key words: Soil compaction, tractor plough, hydraulic conductivity, soil water infiltration, soil bulk density.

Agricultural land plays an important role in ensuring food security and employment in rural areas. For many years, the planned economy has forced Uzbekistan to grow water-intensive crops, which has led to declining land productivity and increased crop yields. In a market economy, new innovative technologies are in high demand not only in agriculture but also in other sectors. In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, our research has found it necessary to set goals and objectives. The purpose of the study was to substantiate the parameters of frontal plowing slope, which provides high-quality execution of the technological process in accordance with the agro-technical requirements with minimum energy consumption without furrow plowing, agrotechnical and energy performance of variable frontal forks. The following results were achieved by performing the tasks identified in the study: a – humidity V=16–17 % and load conditions with elastic rods of 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm; b – humidity V=13–14 % and the diameter of elastic rods is 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm; c – humidity V=9–10 % and the diameter of the elastic rods is 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm. The experiments were performed on lumps with different humidity conditions: 9–10 %, 13–14 % and 16–17 %. The speed of the installation was 1.0 m/s. The recommended technology was to destroy soil fragments with a moisture content of 16–17 % at a vertical load of 400 N with 3, 4 and 5 mm elastic rods at 86.6, 81.5, 75.1 %, respectively, and the vertical load equal to 1,000 N – 94.4, 89.2, 81.2 %, respectively, Сельскохозяйственные земли играют важную роль в обеспечении продовольственной безопасности и занятости населения в сельской местности. В течение многих лет плановая экономика Узбекистана предполагала выращивание водоемких культур, что привело к снижению продуктивности земель и повышению урожайности. В условиях рыночной экономики новые инновационные технологии пользуются большим спросом не только в сельском хозяйстве, но и в других отраслях. Для решения вышеперечисленных проблем в нашем исследовании было необходимо установить цели и задачи. Целью исследования было обоснование параметров фронтального склона вспашки, обеспечивающих качественное выполнение технологического процесса в соответствии с агротехническими требованиями при минимальных энергозатратах без бороздной вспашки, агротехнических и энергетических показателей переменных фронтальных вил. При выполнении поставленных в исследовании задач были достигнуты следующие результаты: a – влажность V=16–17 % и условия нагрузки с 3 мм, 4 мм, 5 мм упругими стержнями; б – влажность V=13–14 % и диаметр упругих стержней 3 мм, 4 мм, 5 мм; в – влажность V=9–10 % и диаметр упругих стержней 3 мм, 4 мм, 5 мм. Испытания проводились на комках различной влажности: 9–10 %, 13–14 % и 16–17 %. Скорость установки составляла 1,0 м/с. Рекомендуемая технология заключалась в разрушении фрагментов почвы влажностью 116–17 % при вертикальной нагрузке 400 Н 3, 4 и 5 мм упругими стержнями на 86,6, 81,5, 75,1 % соответственно, а при вертикальной нагрузке 1000 Н – 94,4, 89,2, 81,2 % соответственно, Сільськогосподарські землі відіграють важливу роль у забезпеченні продовольчої безпеки та зайнятості населення в сільській місцевості. Протягом багатьох років планова економіка Узбекистану передбачала вирощування водоємних культур, що призвело до зниження продуктивності земель і підвищення врожайності. В умовах ринкової економіки нові інноваційні технології користуються великим попитом не тільки в сільському господарстві, а й в інших галузях. Для вирішення перерахованих вище проблем в нашому дослідженні було необхідно встановити цілі і завдання. Метою дослідження було обґрунтування параметрів фронтального схилу оранки, що забезпечують якісне виконання технологічного процесу відповідно до агротехнічних вимог при мінімальних енерговитратах без борозенної оранки, агротехнічних та енергетичних показників змінних фронтальних вил. При виконанні поставлених в дослідженні завдань були досягнуті наступні результати: a – вологість V=16–17 % і умови навантаження з 3 мм, 4 мм, 5 мм пружними стрижнями; б – вологість V=13–14 % і діаметр пружних стрижнів 3 мм, 4 мм, 5 мм; в – вологість V=9–10 % і діаметр пружних стрижнів 3 мм, 4 мм, 5 мм. Випробування проводилися на грудках різної вологості: 9–10 %, 13–14 % і 16–17 %. Швидкість установки становила 1,0 м/с. Рекомендована технологія полягала в руйнуванні фрагментів грунту вологістю 16–17 % при вертикальному навантаженні 400 Н 3, 4 і 5 мм пружними стрижнями на 86,6, 81,5, 75,1 % відповідно, а при вертикальному навантаженні 1000 Н – 94,4, 89,2, 81,2 % відповідно

Smallholder agriculture of the Asian continent faces a significant challenge of declining soil productivity and an acute shortage of ag-ricultural labor. Reduced tillage and crop residue mulch application is an integrated approach to preserving soil health and addressing the labor crisis to maintain farm sustainability. We undertook this study to evaluate the effect of strip planting and increased residue mulching on mustard and mungbean's productivity and profitability in northern Bangladesh during 2015 and 2016. Mustard cv. BARI Sharisha 14 and mungbean cv. BARI Mungbean 6 was grown follow-ing (i) Conventionally Tilled broadcasting method (CT) and (ii) Strip Planted line seeding (SP) with two levels of crop mulch (i) no-mulch and (ii) 50% mulch. The CT was done by a two-wheel tractor with four plowings and cross plowing followed by leveling. In SP, single tillage, seeding, fertigation, and field leveling were done simultane-ously by a Versatile Multi-crop Planter machine. Results reveal that mechanized seeding of mustard and mungbean in SP with 50% resi-due mulching fetched 62% higher profit than broadcasted CT with-out residue through producing 24% higher seed yield. This practice reduced the land preparation costs by 68%, in association with re-ducing the labor and fuel requirements by 30%. Hence, it could be concluded that the mechanized seeding of mustard and mungbean with the retention of 50% of crop residue is profitable to the con-ventionally broadcasted seeding process.

This study presents a new approach to find the optimal operating parameters of a tractor disc plough, to minimize the fuel used for the land preparation of sugarcane fields. The new approach is com...

In organic farming the control of perennial weed species, in particular Cirsium arvense, can be a major concern for farmers, especially if there is no regulation through perennial forage production. To test whether the stubble cleaner (SC), an enhanced skim plow (PL), is as effective in the control of C. arvense and other weeds as conventional ploughing and perennial forage production, an organic field experiment was established. Three different tillage/crop rotation systems were compared: an SC system and a PL system, both in a cereal-based crop rotation and an additional PL system in a crop rotation that included a perennial alfalfa–grass mixture (PLALF). In the SC system, tillage was carried out solely with the SC, while in the PL and PLALF systems, ploughing was alternated with chiseling. In the fifth year, each main plot was divided into subplots, and seven different cover crop treatments were integrated into each of the three systems. The effects of the three systems and the cover crop treatments on weed cover and density, weed biomass, and weed diversity in the sixth and seventh year of the experiment are the subjects of this paper. The choice of cover crop species was of minor importance for weed control. The PLALF system was generally more effective in controlling C. arvense than the PL and SC systems. No significant differences between the PL and SC systems regarding the control of C. arvense could be identified in four of five assessments. The SC system had significantly higher total weed density than the PLALF and PL systems in both years. However, the differences in weed emergence between the PL and SC systems diminished until the assessment of weed cover and biomass in the main crops, when no significant differences between these two systems (2012) or no differences at all (2013) could be identified. Species richness was not significantly influenced by the tillage/crop rotation system in both years. Evenness and Shannon–Wiener index were significantly higher in the PLALF and PL systems than in the SC system on most assessment dates in 2012. In 2013 there was no clear trend regarding evenness and Shannon-Wiener index probably due to a hoeing operation.. In conclusion, for weed control, the choice of crop rotation was more important than the choice of tillage method, while for the diversity of the weed community, the choice of tillage method was more important than the crop rotation.

The humus condition of soils of Chernihiv region has been studied. The dynamics of humus content in the soils of the region during six rounds (1986–2015) of agrochemical certification of agricultural lands is generalized and analyzed. In comparison with the 5th round (1986–1990), there was a discrepancy between the processes of stabilization and increase of humus content in most districts and in the region as a whole in the ninth round (2006–2010), and in some districts in the tenth round (2011–2015) against the background of a sharp decrease in the application of organic fertilizers. It was found that the stabilization of humus content in the soils of the region during the V–VIII rounds of agrochemical certification and a sharp increase in its content in the ninth round, against a significant reduction of organic matter, correlates with the withdrawal of eroded, low-yielding lands with low humus content (r=0.76). Analyzing the dynamics of humus content over thirty years of research,it was found that its content has increased in all climatic zones, as well as in nineteen of the twenty-two districts of the region. The increase of the indicator is in the range of 0.01–0.72%, while in all districts there is a significant reduction of the surveyed areas and only in three districts of the region there is a decrease in the humus content. According to the results of the 10th round of agrochemical certification, the soils of Chernihiv region are characterized by an average humus content of 2.41%. The highest humus content is characterized by the soils of Bakhmatsky (3.56%), Talalaivsky (3.33%) and Pryluky (3.32%) districts, and the lowest — NovgorodSiversky (1.57%). Increasing the sown area of green manure crops, plowing straw and the use of other elements of biologization of agriculture are important factors in increasing the weighted average humus content in the soils of Chernihiv region.

The rice root nematodes, Hirschmanniella spp., are considered the predominant plant-parasitic nematode in the clay soils of Battambang’s lowland rice fields in Cambodia. In this study, we compared the nematode population dynamics, rice yield parameters, and soil organic matter content in lowland rice fields under conservation agriculture (CA) system with conventional tillage systems with green manure management (GMCT) or with plough-based tillage (CT) systems. Results demonstrated that GMCT for one year (GMCT1) and the long-term CA for seven years (CA7) reduced nematode densities in both soil and in rice roots, almost throughout the study period, compared to the CT. In the GMCT with tillage for two years (GMCT2), however, the Hirschmanniella spp. densities were high at the beginning, but reduced at later stages of the cycle. For rice yield components and soil fertility, CA7 proved to be effective in increasing plant height, the number of tillers/plant and soil organic matter. Based on molecular, morphometric and morphological features, the nematodes were identified as H. mucronata. The phylogenetic trees of three nuclear markers displayed similarity among 18S, 18S-ITS1-5.8S and D2D3 regions, identifying nematodes as H. mucronata clade I (bootstrap values of 79–100) and related to H. kwazuna and H. loofi sisters. Morphologically the long body (1,512–2,665 µm), long stylet (25–29 µm) and obvious mucron at the end of terminus matched with H. mucronata. Therefore, long term CA, with reduced tillage and using leguminous cover crops provides a promising system to control H. mucronata and promote rice yields and soil organic matter in Cambodian lowland rice fields.

Reliability consists of four components: failure-less operation, maintainability, durability, and preservation ability. For different machines and different conditions of operation, different combinations of these properties, and differences in how they are balanced and proportioned are essential. For tractors, the most important aspect of reliability is maintainability, while for agricultural machines, durability is most important. Using the example of a ploughshare, the issue of increasing the durability has been studied; a method for calculating the durability of a ploughshare for various types of soils has been described. The use of plasma hardening of the surface of a 65G-steel ploughshare has been proposed; the effectiveness of plasma hardening of soil-cutting parts and its economic feasibility have been proved. Due to hardening to a depth of 1–1.8 mm, the service life of parts increases by 2–3 times; moreover the downtime of expensive machine-tractor units for replacing worn-out parts is reduced.

Studies in the article have shown that productivity increases with improved structure. This is explained by the fact that in soils with 0.25 mm diameter water-resistant aggregates of 14%, grain yield is 22.2 cents / ha, while water-resistant aggregates are 8%. In soils, this figure decreased to 18.4 cents / ha (3.8 cents / ha). It is also known that alfalfa plays a key role in improving the water-physical properties of the soil, as well as its agrochemical composition. The author's research shows that the amount of water-resistant aggregates under the clover is much higher than in the cotton fields. This can be clearly seen from the following comparison. Thus, the amount of water-resistant aggregates in 0-10 cm of soil in the cotton field is 4.0-18.5; While 0.5 cm is 6.5-11.2 and 20-30 cm is 4.5-18.2, in clover crops this indicator is 35.0; Increased to 24.7 and 27.0. In addition, it revealed the accumulation of more organic and mineral substances under alfalfa cultivation. They proved this by the analysis of soil samples taken from the one-year and two-year plots. It was found that 1.66% humus and 0.112% total nitrogen were accumulated in the topsoil of the annual alfalfa field, while the amount of humus accumulated in the topsoil in the biennial clover field was 1.70% and the total nitrogen content was 0.150%. It should be noted. that the development of irrigation erosion in irrigated arable lands depends on the fact that the surface of the area is covered with a large cover. This was clearly shown by the observations. It was found that both relatively weak (0.4 mm / min) and very (1.4 mm / min) heavy rains protect clover soil from further washing. Thus, 0.4 mm / min. In heavy rains, the depth of the furrow under alfalfa is 14.4 mm, 31 mm at 1.4 mm / min, 50.9 and 64.2 mm between rows of cotton, respectively, and 78.6 and 113 mm along the row. 6 mm

The effectiveness of long-term use of various basic tillage systems of dark grey forest soil in the conditions of the Northern Trans-Urals was established. Their impact on the efficiency of barley cultivation depending on the grain (spring wheat) or legume forecrop (vetch for grain) was determined. The research was carried out in a stationary experiment covering moldboard, nonmoldboard, combined, differentiated, stubble-mulch and surface systems of basic soil tillage. The experiments took place during the third–sixth rotations (1996–2018) of two grain-fallow crop rotations spread in time and space. The first crop rotation was: bare fallow – winter rye – spring wheat – spring vetch – spring barley, the second crop rotation: bare fallow – winter rye – spring wheat – spring wheat – spring barley. When cultivating barley following the legume forecrop (spring vetch), it was economically feasible to use basic tillage systems with the elements of minimization. It included non-moldboard and combined tillage with subsurface loosening by a plow with SibIME tines to a depth of 20-22 cm differentiated with stubble-mulch at 12-14 cm and disk harrowing at 10- 12 cm. These methods provided conditions for the formation of productivity close to the moldboard system and practically the same yield of barley, net income and energy efficiency coefficient. Without fertilizers, the yield was 2.97-3.03 t/ha, with the use of N40P40P40 it was 3.47-3.65 t/ha. When planting barley following wheat sown twice, the most effective was moldboard tillage system with a net income of 14.67 thousand rubles/ha without fertilizers and 22.75 thousand rubles/ha with fertilizers and energy coefficient of 2.65 and 2.75. The use of resource-saving tillage methods with repeated wheat led to a decrease in the yield of barley grain by 0.09–0.40 t/ha, and a decrease in the net income of barley cultivation compared to the legume forecrop by 31.0–44.1%.

The aim of the research was to determine the influence of the depth of the main tillage, feeding background and sowing dates on the indicators of energy efficiency of growing sage under drip irrigation in the South of Ukraine. Methods. Field experiments were conducted in accordance with the methodology of the research case during 2011−2018 in the experimental field of PE “Agrofirma-Dodola” Beryslav District of Kherson Region. Mineral fertilizers were applied in the form of granular superphosphate and ammonium nitrate in the areas by hand according to the experimental scheme. Agricultural technology in the experiment was generally accepted for the conditions of the Southern Steppe of Ukraine, except for the factors that were accepted for study. Results. Energy consumption changed the most in the first year of use, and the highest level of 30.3−30.6 GJ/ha they reached in the variant with the application of mineral fertilizers at a dose of N60P90 and sowing in the first decade of December. The increase in energy, which reflects the difference between its yield and the cost of growing technology, varied over a very wide range of years of research, and in the fourth year of use became negative. Conclusions. The coefficient of energy efficiency in the cultivation of sage exceeded 4 in the second and third years in the variants with nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizers and sowing in the first decade of December, and in the fourth year it was less than one. In the first year of use, the energy consumption of 1 kg of sage inflorescences was in the unfertilized version with shallow plowing, sowing in the first decade of April with a row spacing of 45 cm. The minimum values of this indicator (2.01 GJ/kg) were depth of 20−22 cm, sowing in the first decade of December and row spacing of 70 cm. Correlationregression analysis proved that in the first year of use of mineral fertilizers at a dose of N60P60. In the second and third years, the best energy results were obtained with the highest energy efficiency coefficient 4.6 and the minimum energy intensity of the obtained medicinal products − at the level of 0.3−4.3 GJ/kg. In the fourth year of use, there was a sharp increase (up to 14.8 GJ/kg) and a decrease in the energy efficiency ratio (up to 0.5−0.7).

The study results of the effect of long-term (8 years) using potassium deficient fertilization system on changing the parameters of physical, chemical and agrochemical indicators of podzolized heavy loam black soil and the productivity of field crop rotation (winter wheat, corn, spring barley, soybean) are presented. The study was held in the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. It has been established that, under all agro-chemical loads, the soil absorbing complex capacity does not change, but its structural reorganization takes place. Before starting the experiment, the soil absorbing complex capacity in the 0–20 cm layer was deter-mined by 10.1 % hydrogen ions, and eight years later, under the average annual application of N110P60K80, their share increased to 14.8 %. In the variants with the potash fertilizers application, the deterioration of these indicators increased. Potassium regime of the soil depended on the types and rates of fertilizers used in crop rotation. It was most affected by rates of potash fertilizers. On the areas without fertilizers at the end of the second year of four-field crop rotation, the content of labile potassium compounds in the soil decreased by 6 % as compared with the initial value, and at applying N110P60, N110P40 and N110P60K80 per 1 ha of crop rotation area it decreased by 14; 5 and 3%, respectively. Long-term (since 2010) application of mineral fer-tilizers at a dose of N110P60K80 per 1 ha of crop rotation area, in 2016–2018 contributed to an increase in winter wheat yield by 3.68 t/ha, corn by 8.34, spring barley by 2.05 and soybeans by 1.31 t/ha, while the yields on control areas without fertilizers, made 3.57 t/ha; 4.73; 3.37 and 1.71 t/ha, respectively. Moreover, potash fertilizers at nitrogen-phosphorus background at a dose of 40 kg/ha contributed to an increase in the yields of winter wheat, corn, spring barley and soybean by 7, 12; 5 and 3 %, respectively, and the crop rota-tion productivity rose by 8 %. A further increase in the dose of potash fertilizers to 80 kg/ha improved its productivity by only 4 %. To ensure the productivity of field crop rotation at the level of 7.55 tons/ha, it is necessary to apply potash fertilizers at a dose of 40 kg/ha (for winter wheat 40, corn ‒ 55, spring barley ‒ 35 and soybean ‒ 30) annually against the background of N110P60 and plow non-marketable parts of the harvest into the ground.

The area of fallow agricultural land in the Khabarovsk territory is 354090 hectares. They are examined for reclamation and further use. Hydro-reclamation and repair of old drainage systems with soil cultivation should be carried out on an area of 174381 hectares. The area of arable land is gradually increased by 66.2-126.0 thousand hectares and includes rainfed land, reconstructed old drainage systems, as well as plowing of cultivated forage lands.

The authors showed that a rotary plow deepened the arable layer and destroyed the plow bottom, simultaneously crushed plant residues, green manure crops and embedded them in the soil upper layer that was active for the cultivated plants roots and microorganisms, which allowed providing them with available nutrients, maintained fertility and increased soybeans yield.(Research purpose) To determine the soil deepener and the plow rotor agrotechnical parameters when working after different predecessors, to establish the dynamics of nutrients, soybean yield and to compare the technical indicators of various tillage implements.(Materials and methods) The authors studied rotary plow indicators when cultivating the soil after green manure, wheat and soybeans: the tillage depth and the tooth linear speed, the rotor rotational speed and depth, crumbling, hardness and ridging of the soil surface, the presence of plant residues, specific fuel consumption, productivity. They conducted a comparative field experiment, meadow-chernozem-like soil was treated with tools: discs BDT-3.0 – control; plowshare PLN-3-35 and rotary plow PRN-2.5 M.(Results and discussion) The authors determined that the tillage depth with the rotor was 0.143-0.149 meters, with the soil deepener – 0.25 meters, 25-27 percent of crop residues remained on the soil surface. It was found that the rotary plow details provided good soil cultivation, as a result of the incorporation of stubble and green manure, they contributed to a content increase of phosphorus in it by 11.8-13.3 percent, potassium – by 18-21.8, nitrogen – by 48.1-48.9 percent, which had a positive impact on the soybeans yield.(Conclusions) The authors found a regular increase in soybean yields when processing the soil with a rotary plow by 0.32 tons per hectare compared to discs and by 0.06 tons per hectare compared to a share plow. It was suggested to use a rotary plow PRN-2.5 M. for soil cultivating for soybeans in the Amur region. They calculated the economic and energy feasibility of soil cultivating with a rotary plow in organic crop production.

The paper made an attempt to examine the operation-wise labour absorption and also estimated the factors that determine the variations and the intensity of labour used per acre in three rice farming systems, namely jhum cultivation, wet rice cultivation (WRC) and wet terrace cultivation (WTC). Study revealed that all the three farming systems use more labour and less capital. Jhum absorbs the highest labour man days, among the three farming systems. Male labour absorption was found to be more than that of the female labour in all the farming systems, and both male and female labour absorption was highest under jhum cultivation. Land clearing was the activity that absorbed the highest male labour under jhum cultivation, with an average of 8.49 labour man days, while ploughing, levelling/manuring absorbed the highest male labour under WTC/WRC, with an average of 9.88 and 9.36 labour man days. On the other hand, the highest female labour absorption activity was weeding, with an average of 5.10 (jhum), 4.99 (WRC) and 4.6 (WTC) man days. The participation of family labour was found to be more under jhum cultivation, whereas use of hired labour was more under wet rice cultivation. Regression result shows that hired labour man days and total labour man days per acre in all the farming systems are negatively associated, with a significant level of 1 and 5 per cent each. Since rice cultivation is seasonal in nature, rainfall and timing is an important determinant of yield and the use of inputs like labour may depend not only on total amount used but also on timing of application.

Soil quality can not only affect soil and water conservation, soil nutrient cycling, soil structure, and stability but also impact the agricultural sustainability. The objective of our study was to evaluate the effects of different tillage and straw management methods on the soil quality indicators and peanut yield in a wheat–peanut rotation system in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China. Four treatments were investigated, including moldboard plow tillage with wheat straw return (MPS), rotary tillage with wheat straw return (CTS), moldboard plow tillage with wheat straw removal (MP), and rotary tillage with wheat straw removal (CT). We evaluated the soil bulk density (SBD), soil porosity (SP), soil water content (SWC), soil nutrient concentrations (TOC, TN, AP, and AK), soil aggregate, and peanut yield. The results showed that MPS improved soil physical and chemical properties by increasing soil porosity and soil water content, enhancing soil nutrient concentrations, promoting the formation of large macroaggregates, and increasing soil aggregate stability. These improvements in the physical and chemical properties of soil could influence plant growth and development by altering crop nutrient uptake, utilization, and translocation. Therefore, MPS increased dry matter and nitrogen accumulation, ultimately resulting an increase in peanut yield. Different tillage and straw management methods revealed varied effects for soil quality indicators and peanut yield. As a result, MPS may be a suitable agricultural management method for improving soil quality and increasing peanut yield in a wheat–peanut rotation system.

This study was conducted with the aim of determining the influence of tillage techniques on depth, furrow slice and water retention in Maugo Smallholder Rice Scheme in Kenya. Treatments were arranged in randomized complete block design with four replicates. Four tillage treatments were used. The first one was conventional ox plough practiced by farmers where they first flood the field with water before ploughing. The other three treatments were ox plough, hand hoe and tractor ploughing all with no flooding before ploughing. Data collected included depth of ploughing and harrowing during land preparation. Furrow slices during ploughing and harrowing as well as water retention were recorded. Tractor ploughing had the highest mean depth of ploughing of 42.00 ± 0.81 cm followed by conventional ox ploughing with 17.75 ± 0.75 cm, ox ploughing15.75 ± 0.62 cm and hand hoe ploughing had the lowest mean depth 15.50 ± 0.28 cm. Tractor ploughing had the largest mean furrow size of 62.00 ± 0.91cm followed by conventional ox ploughing 32.25 ± 0.85 cm, ox ploughing 30.25 ± 0.85 cm while hand hoe ploughing had the smallest mean furrow slice of 16.5 ± 0.50 cm. Highest mean of retained water was recorded in week 4 in paddy rice fields prepared using conventional ox ploughing (10.5 cm), ox ploughing (10 cm), hand hoe ploughing (11.5 cm) and tractor ploughing (11.5 cm) while the lowest was recorded in week 15 for conventional plots. There were significant differences in mean depths during both ploughing and harrowing. Tractor ploughing mean depths were significantly different from the other treatments. The weekly mean water depths retained in the plots were more than 6 cm for the entire growing period of rice.

Improvement of crop production technologies is based on the development of agricultural machinery in which the trac- tor power plays an important role. In crop production, agricultural crops require variable attention during their growing season and consequently, different production costs. The most expensive are row crops which in the process of development require a lot of inter-row tillage of plantings and sowings. The implementation of such tillage involves the control of weeds, plant fertilization, operations for chemical protection of plants from diseases and pests. Therefore, it becomes evident that the agricultural machinery used in the production of such crops must be adapted to its use in planting and sowing crops at different stages of plant development. Thus, both the aboveground and the parts of the plant located in the soil should not be damaged and oppressed by the working bodies of agricultural machines and the engines of energy facilities. It becomes obvious that tractor fleet of agricultural organizations should have both powerful general-purpose tractors used mainly for plowing, continuous disking, cultivation and sowing using wide coverage units, and row-crop tractors designed for inter-row tillage. There are methods for developing an optimal fleet of machinery for agricultural organizations which differ in production trends and in size of agriculturally used areas. Taking into account the possibility of using modern means of digitalization and artificial intelligence which can significantly improve the quality of technological processes and control them, it is possible to develop technologies for the production of row crops. Of all tractor models mentioned in the research, the following models have the best agrotechnological characteristics required of the general-purpose row-crop tractors: Fastrac 2170 produced by the British company JCB and LTI 162.5 tractor that is to be produced in Izhevsk, Russia.

Goal. Based on observations in the system of range agroecological monitoring to identify changes in the natural cycle of nutrients and toxic elements due to anthropogenic factors. Methods. General scientific methods of materialist dialectics, scientific abstraction, analysis and synthesis, logical thinking, and special: range agroecological monitoring, mathematical and statistical. Results. The results of studies conducted on dark gray podzolized soil of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe with long-term application of mineral fertilizers and the background of by-products of the predecessor during 1987–2017 are shown. It is fixed that humus content has increased by 0.2–0.3%, while the indices of exchange and potential acidity, as well as the amount of the absorbed bases compared to the ecotope without the use of fertilizers, have dropped. That is the indication of the acidifying action of the applied fertilizers and the need for liming. The number of compounds of light hydrolysis and mineral nitrogen in fertilized ecotopes was at very low and low levels. When applying a double dose of mineral fertilizers N75P74K83 on the background of organic levels, the content of mobile phosphates and potassium was respectively very high and high, which provided optimal conditions for phosphorus and potassium nutrition of crop rotation plants. None of the ecotopes exceeded the maximum allowable concentration (MAC) and the background content of mobile forms of lead, cadmium and nickel for the soils of Ukraine. The content of copper in the soil was low and medium, and the content of zinc was very low and low. Conclusions. During long-term anthropogenic loading for 30 years in the grain-crop rotation of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe with the application of 232–349 kg/ha NRK on the background of plowing of by-products of plant growing there was an expanded reproduction of fertility of dark-gray podzolized soil as to humus, mobile forms of phosphorus and potassium. But a tendency was observed of accumulation of mobile forms of cadmium with a simultaneous deepening of copper and zinc deficiency.

The practice of smash-ridging on dry land crop cultivation has shown much promise. However, the mechanism how does soil functionality and root traits can affect rice yield under smash ridge tillage with reduced nitrogen fertilization have not yet been explored. To fill this knowledge gap, we used three tillage methods—smash-ridging 40 cm (S40), smash-ridging 20 cm (S20), and traditional turn-over plowing 20 cm (T)—and two rice varieties (hybrid rice and conventional rice) and measured soil quality, root traits, rice yield and their correlation analysis at different growth stages. Soil physical and chemical properties were significantly improved by smash-ridging, including improvements in root morphological and physiological traits during three growth stages compared with T. S40 had the highest leaf area index (LAI), plant height (PH), and biomass accumulation (BA). Increment in biomass and panicle number (PN) resulted in higher grain yield (GY) of 6.9–9.4% compared with T. Correlation analysis revealed that root total absorption area (RTAA), root active absorption area (RAA), and root area ratio (RAR) were strongly correlated with soil quality. Root injury flow (RIF) and root biomass accumulation (RBA) were strongly correlated with LAI and above-ground plant biomass accumulation (AGBA). Conclusively, S40 is a promising option for improving soil quality, root traits, and consequently GY.

Radionuclide fallout during nuclear accidents on the land may impair the atmosphere, contaminate farmland soils and crops, and can even reach the groundwater. Previous research focused on the field distribution of deposited radionuclides in farmland soils, but details of the amounts of radionuclides in the plough layer and the changes in their proportional distribution in the soil profile with time are still inadequate. In this study, a lysimeter experiment was conducted to determine the vertical migration of 137Cs and 60Co in brown and aeolian sandy soils, collected from the farmlands adjoining Shidaowan Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in eastern China, and to identify the factors influencing their migration depths in soil. At the end of the experiment (800 d), > 96% of added 137Cs and 60Co were retained in the top 0–20 cm soil layer of both soils; very little 137Cs or 60Co initially migrated to 20–30 cm, but their amounts at this depth increased with time. The migration depth of 137Cs was greater in the aeolian sandy soil than in the brown soil during 0–577 d, but at the end of the experiment, 137Cs migrated to the same depth (25 cm) in both soils. Three phases on the vertical migration rate (v) of 60Co in the aeolian sandy soil can be identified: an initial rapid movement (0–355 d, v = 219 ± 17 mm year–1), followed by a steady movement (355–577 d, v = 150 ± 24 mm year–1) and a very slow movement (577–800 d, v = 107 ± 7 mm year–1). In contrast, its migration rate in the brown soil (v = 133 ± 17 mm year–1) was steady throughout the 800-d experimental period. The migration of both 137Cs and 60Co in the two soils appears to be regulated by soil clay and silt fractions that provide most of the soil surface area, soil organic carbon (SOC), and soil pH, which were manifested by the solid-liquid distribution coefficient of 137Cs and 60Co. The results of this study suggest that most 137Cs and 60Co remained within the top layer (0–20 cm depth) of farmland soils following a simulated NPP accident, and little reached the subsurface (20–30 cm depth). Fixation of radionuclides onto clay minerals may limit their migration in soil, but some could be laterally distributed by soil erosion and taken up by crops, and migrate into groundwater in a high water table level area after several decades. Remediation measures, therefore, should focus on reducing their impact on the farmland soils, crops, and water.

Five-year observations of the water-physical properties of the soil showed a significant increase (by 14.5%) in the density of the arable layer after the minimum tillage, where this indicator was 1.26 g / cm3. On the control and on the variant with combined tillage, the soil density was minimal - 1.10 g / cm3. The water permeability of the dark chestnut medium loamy soil varied from 78.7 mm / h (at minimum tillage) to 132.5 mm / h (at the dump). Before sowing chickpeas, higher soil moisture in the meter layer was after non-moldboard tillage - 16.7% of the mass of absolutely dry soil, which is 0.4 and 0.9% higher relative to the control variant and minimum tillage, respectively. The maximum yield of chickpea grain (0.94 t / ha) was after the combined processing of the Boykov PBS-8M plow to a depth of 23–25 cm. Minimization of the main tillage reduced the yield by 18.7% compared with the control. Calculation of the share influence of the studied factors on the yield of chickpea grain showed that the determining factors are the moisture content of a meter layer of soil in the branching phase, the amount of precipitation during the growing season, soil moisture before sowing, and the density of the arable layer.

Relevance. The formation of the potato yield, along with a balanced diet, is significantly influenced by the physical condition of the soil, namely the hardness of the soil. As a basic option for soil decompaction, a technological method of soil cultivation to a depth of up to 40 cm using chiselless tools is currently used. As an alternative, biological means of soil decompaction can be used by introducing fields occupied by green manure crops into the crop rotation during the entire field season. The purpose of the research is to assess the effectiveness of a new technological method of soil decompaction, which consists in the use of green manure crops in potato crop rotation.Materials and methods. Experimental studies were carried out from June to August 2019 on the experimental field of the IAEP in the crop rotation of growing organic potatoes. The previous cultivation was autumn plowing of the field from under perennial grasses. Yellow mustard was used as a green manure — a fast-growing one-year green manure crop.Results. The results of experimental studies of the influence of sowing green manure (yellow mustard) on the change in soil hardness in a fallow field in a potato crop rotation are presented. The high efficiency of the studied biological method of soil decompaction was established, providing a decrease in hardness in the zone where the “plow sole” was previously noted from 4.8 to 2.5 MPa.

Sweet sorghum Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is a promising crop for bioethanol production characterized by its high biomass yield, sugar-rich stalks, facile juice extraction, and ability to adapt to different production systems. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of cultivation practices (soil treatments) on the juice, sugar, and ethanol yields of sweet sorghum variety Roger. Three methods of tillage (minimum, traditional, and traditional tillage with rupture of the plow layer) and three types of fertilizers (inorganic, organic, and without fertilizer) were assayed. The best results of stem yield (44.3 tons/ha), juice production (25.6 m3/ha), concentration of soluble solids in the juice (16.9 °Brix), and juice ethanol yield (2.1 m3/ha) were obtained under a mixture of traditional plowing with plow layer breaking, applying an organic fertilizer. In addition, the extracted juice allowed yeast (industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae PE-2) growth and conversion to ethanol without the need for nutrients supplementation. Therefore, sweet sorghum continues to be an interesting bioenergetic crop for production of first-generation biofuels.

Optimal phosphorus (P) management is essential in order to achieve sustainable crop production under ley farming system. Manure-based fertilizer represents an alternative to mineral fertilizer to produce forage across tillage systems. Our objective was to investigate the effects of mineral fertilizer [MIN] vs. liquid dairy manure [LDM]) and chisel plough [CP] vs. moldboard plough [MP] on soil P dynamics under a long-term ley farming system. Cumulative P inputs, P offtake and P budget were determined by summing cyclic values across eight 3-yr cycles (1993–2016). Soil test P was determined across six 3-yr cycles (1999–2016) by the Mehlich3 method. Crop P offtake was similar between CP and MP or between LDM and MIN. Phosphorus inputs accumulated across cycles were higher under LDM (65–610 kg P ha−1) than under MIN (54–446 kg P ha−1). The cumulative P budget ranged from − 20 to + 150 kg P ha−1 with LDM and from − 33 to + 3 kg P ha−1 with MIN. Despite a tend of decrease of Mehlich3P in upper layers, a higher accumulation in the 0–0.15 m soil depth under MIN than LDM, and under CP than MP was observed. Discrepancies between P budget and soil test P highlighted the complex mechanisms regulating P cycling. Our findings suggest the importance of complete assessment of soil P reserves in soil profile to sustain P management. Long-term experiment is a useful tool for monitoring effects of agricultural practices on soil P dynamics.

In modern agriculture, resource-saving technologies for cultivating grain crops and their optimization are becoming more and more relevant. The use of scientifically-based crop rotations, tillage methods and doses of mineral fertilizers allow increasing economic efficiency of winter wheat cultivation. The purpose of the research was to assess the yield and quality of winter wheat grain depending on different doses of mineral fertilizers under non-moldboard soil tillage in the crop rotations of the Central Chernozem Region. The research was carried out in 2012-2020 in a stationary multifactorial field experiment in Federal Agricultural Kursk Research Center. The experimental design included the following options: Factor A – crop rotations (grain-fallow-row, grain-grass-row, grain-grass); Factor B – mineral fertilizers (without fertilizers, N20P40K40, N40P80K80 kg ha-1). The soil of the experimental site is represented by typical, medium-loamy chernozem. The paper shows that the yield of winter wheat grain in the context of non-moldboard soil tillage was higher in the grain-fallow-row crop rotation and amounted to 3.34 t ha-1. In the grain-grass-row and grain-grass crop rotations, yield decreased by 6.6 % and 10.2 %, respectively. The maximum grain yield (3.98 t/ha-1) was obtained in grain-fallow-row crop rotation with N40P80K80. An increase in fertilizers doses led to protein and gluten content increment from 12.6 to 13.3 % and from 22.8 to 25.6 %, respectively; however, the differences in crop rotations were within the limits of experimental error. The grain nature varied according to the studied factors from 708 to 735 g/l-1 and was higher in the grain-fallow-row crop rotation with a dose of mineral fertilizers N40P80K80. Despite more significant net income after increased fertilizers dose (N40P80K80), the increase in the winter wheat grain yield did not allow obtaining a higher level of profitability compared to N20P40K40. Winter wheat cultivation in grain-grass-row crop rotation with N20P40K40 was the most cost-effective. In this variant, the cost of grain was the lowest (4.92 thousand rubles t-1); the profitability, on the contrary, was the highest (103.4 %).

Many cities have to cope with annual snowfall, but are struggling to manage their snow plowing activities efficiently. Despite the fact that winter road maintenance has been a popular research subject for decades, very few papers propose scalable models that can incorporate side constraints encountered in real-life applications. In this work, we propose a Constraint Programming formulation for a Snow Plow Routing Problem (SPRP). The SPRP under consideration involves finding a set of vehicle routes to service a street network in a pre-defined service area, while accounting for various vehicle constraints and traffic restrictions. The fundamental mathematical problem underlying SPRP is the well-known Capacitated Arc Routing Problem (CARP). Common Mathematical Programming (MP) approaches for CARP are typically based on: (i) a graph transformation, thereby transforming CARP into an equivalent node routing problem, or (ii) a sparse network formulation. The CP formulation in this article is based on the former graph transformation. Using geospatial data from the city of Pittsburgh, we empirically show that our CP approach outperforms existing MP formulations for SPRP. For some of the larger instances, our CP model finds 26% shorter plowing schedules than alternative Integer Programming formulations. A test pilot held with actual vehicles proves the applicability of our approach in practice: our routes are 3–156% shorter than the routes the city of Pittsburgh generated with commercial routing software.Keywords: Winter road maintenance, arc routing, vehicle routing, mathematical programming

The present study aimed to assess the influences of corn straw application on the soil microbial organisms, soil enzyme activities and the grain yield. Four treatments were evaluated: (i) The straw was ploughed into soil using a fence hydraulic turning plow with ploughing depth of 30-40 cm(PD). (ii) The self-developed straw deep returning machine was used to bury 30-40 cm in the sub-surface layer of soil (SD). (iii) The straw was mulched and no tillage sowing(M). (iv)Without straw application(CK). Soil samples of different deep(0-20 cm, 20-40 cm soil layer) were taken during the corn growth stage to determinesoil biological characteristics.Our results suggested that soil microorganisms were not increased by straw mulching. Straw deep ploughing and returning (PD treatment) could effectively improve the phospholipid fatty acids(PLFAs) of bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi, the activities of urease,invertase,dehydrogenase and polyphenoloxidase, even the grain yield. In 20-40 cm subsoil layer, the effects were more obvious than those of topsoil. The mean yield of PD treatment was higher than SD,M and CK. The results showed that the PLFA signatures and soil enzyme were both sensitive to the changes of soil environment condition by the application of straw. In the actual field production, we should adopt the appropriate way of straw returning to the field to achieve not only the improvement of soil quality, but also the increase of grain yield.

Agriculture is the important aspect of country economy. Farmers employ laborers for various purposes of works to be carried out on their farm. One of the important works is to make a ridge and furrow in their agricultural fields. In general, farmers use tractors, plowing machines, and other manual methods for making ridges and furrows in the agricultural field which increases the cost of operation to produce ridges and furrows. Further, the manual method of producing ridges and furrows needs more labor and takes more number of days to complete the work. Work. It also needs a lot of physical work. [1] . Plowing machines are costly and use power. This machine is highly economical and efficient which would replace the existing manual method of removal of furrows. Further, the machine is operated by freely available solar energy. The new machine is capable of reducing the physical work and also speed up the removal of wastages along the furrow. This furrow formation machine is mainly designed and fabricated to dug the tunnel and to form the furrows along the boundary of the land and along both the sides of the crops.

This paper examines effects caused by basic soil cultivation techniques combined with the integrated application of mineral fertilizers and biopreparations amid the manure and green manure aftereffects on the agrochemical parameters in the arable (0–25 cm) and subsurface (25–50 cm) layers of typical chernozem soils. It is established that disk plowing significantly (by 2–4 times) improves all agrochemical parameters in both layers in comparison with the control soil. The aftereffect of manure increases the efficiency of disk plowing. The highest humus content (5.4% in the arable layer and 5.1% in the subsurface layer) was registered at the end of the growing season of 2020 after the application of biopreparation V417. At the beginning of the growing season of 2019, the integrated application of mineral fertilizers and the biopreparation ensured the highest content of mobile phosphorus and potassium in both layers: 36 and 290 mg/kg in the arable layer and 32 and 220 mg/kg in the subsoil layer, respectively. The highest nitrate nitrogen content was reached at the end of the growing season of 2020 as a result of the biopreparation application amid the aftereffect of spring rape green manure: 28 mg/kg in the arable layer and 21 mg/kg in the subsoil layer. In the course of the experiment, the content of humus and mobile potassium increased from the low to the medium level, while the content of nitrate nitrogen and mobile phosphorus increased to the elevated level. By its aftereffect, spring rape is a more efficient green manure culture in comparison with the mix of spring oats and forage sorghum. In 2020, the efficiency of the spring rape aftereffect was only 10% lower in comparison with manure; therefore, taking the low availability of manure, green manure can be considered a worthy alternative to it. Combined with the application of mineral fertilizers and biopreparation V417, disk plowing performed amid the green manure (spring rape) aftereffect makes it possible to preserve and restore the fertility of chernozem soils in the Chechen Republic and reduces mechanical impacts on them. Surface tillage with disk harrows combined with the use of green manure is a preferable cultivation method for arid regions featuring dry growing seasons.

HighlightsFour crop growth modules in RZWQM2 were calibrated for four sugarbeet rotation sequences.Sugarbeet following wheat had a slightly higher yield (3% to 6.5%).Moldboard plow increased sugarbeet yield by 1% to 2%.The difference in N losses under different crop rotations and tillage operations was negligible.Abstract. Sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris) is considered to be one of the most viable alternatives to corn for biofuel production as it may be qualified as the feedstock for advanced biofuels (reducing greenhouse gas emission by 50%) under the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007. Because sugarbeet production is affected by crop rotation and tillage through optimal use of soil water and nutrients, simulation of these effects will help in making proper management decisions. In this study, the CSM-CERES-Beet, CSM-CERES-Maize, CROPSIM-Wheat, and CROPGRO-Soybean models included in the RZWQM2 were calibrated against experimental field data of crop yield, soil water, and soil nitrate from the North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension Center from 2014 to 2016. The models performed reasonably well in simulating crop yield, soil water, and nitrate (rRMSE = 0.055 to 2.773, d = 0.541 to 0.997). Simulation results identified a non-significant effect of crop rotation on sugarbeet yield, although sugarbeets following wheat resulted in 3% to 6.5% higher yields compared to other crops. Net mineralization and N uptake rates were slightly higher when sugarbeets followed wheat compared to the other crops. Seasonal N and water mass balances also showed lower N and water stresses when sugarbeets followed wheat. The effects of tillage operations on sugarbeet yield were also non-significant. The difference in the N losses to runoff and drainage from the sugarbeet fields under different crop rotations and tillage operations was negligible. As sugarbeet production may be expanded into nontraditional planting areas in the Red River Valley due to potential demand for biofuel production, our findings will help to assess the associated environmental impacts and identify suitable crop rotations and management scenarios in the region. Keywords: Biofuel, Crop rotation, RZWQM2, Sugarbeet, Tillage.

SS410 is widely used as a hydro-machinery steel and is generally exposed to the slurry erosion conditions, which decrease its useable-life. In the current investigation, an attempt was made to analyse the effect of slurry erosion on this steel. The slurry erosion testing was done in a slurry erosion test rig, which provides possibility to vary impingement conditions like average particle size, slurry concentration, impingement angle, and velocity of jet. Moreover, some mechanical and metallurgical properties of the steel were also investigated. It was concluded that the slurry erosion rate of the steel increases with increase in the concentration and jet velocity. However, with the increase in average particle size, slurry erosion was found to decrease, which may be due to the lower penetration capacity of higher sand particles. Moreover, slurry erosion, in general, was found to be maximum at a parametric combination of lowest average particle size (150 µm), 60° impingement angle, maximum concentration (45000 ppm), and maximum jet velocity (35 m/sec). Slurry erosion was found to be maximum at an impingement angle of 60°, indicating a mixed mode of erosion (ductile as well as brittle) for the given steel. The mechanisms involved in slurry erosion were found to be crater formation, ploughing, and lip formation followed by its fracture.

The process of physical and chemical properties of the former gold mining soil which is caused by the transformation of different land conditions in natural rice fields, reclaimed rice fields, and mine fields. This study aims to determine the differences in the characteristics of the former gold mining soil in natural rice fields, reclaimed rice fields and mining fields in Sijunjung Regency. There were three sampling locations with three sample points each and the samples were analyzed physically and chemically. Results of this study showed that natural paddy soil has optimal conditions for the growth of rice plants followed by reclaimed lowland soil and the worst was in mining paddy soil based on soil physical and chemical properties. The difference in soil physical properties in the form of natural paddy soil texture was smoother compared to land conditions in reclaimed rice fields and mining rice fields. This was due to intensive inundation processes, which created a plough tread layer, low volume weight accompanied by a moderate total pore space. The difference in chemical properties was in the stable pH of natural paddy soil due to inundation and high organic carbon accompanied by rice reclamation and very low organic carbon in mining soils, which would affect the growth of rice plant.

Inappropriate ploughing and weed control practices are among the major limiting factors for teff productivity in Ethiopia. Hence, this study was conducted to evaluate the effect of ploughing and weeding frequencies on growth and yield of teff varieties in Mirab Abaya district of southern Ethiopia during short cropping season of 2019. The treatments as combinations of three levels of ploughing (ploughing six times, four times and once), three levels of weeding frequency (no weeding, weeding once at tillering, weeding twice at tillering and stem elongation stages of the crop) and two varieties of teff (local and improved variety Quncho) which were laid out in split-split-plot design using ploughing as a main plot factor, weeding as subplot and variety as sub-subplot treatment with three replications. Data on phenological, growth and yield, and yield related parameters were collected and analyzed using General Linear Model (GLM) procedures of SAS 9.0. Weeding twice at tillering and stem elongation stage increased yield by 20% over the un-weeding treatment. The highest grain yield (1193 kg/ha) was obtained when ploughing six times combined with weeding twice for improved teff variety (Quncho) followed by (1135 kg/ha) the combination of ploughing four times and weeding twice for the local variety. However, ploughing four times combined with weeding twice at tillering and stem elongation stage for improved teff (Quncho) variety was found to be economical practice with the highest net benefit (27,503.4 Ethiopian birr/ha) and marginal rate of return (5800%). This practice, therefore, may be recommended for higher yield and profitability of Quncho variety in the study area and other similar environments. Key words: Teff, grain yield, biomass yield, economic analysis, harvest index, Quncho.

The root system of maize tends to be shallower with plowing tillage than with rotary tilling in upland fields converted from paddy fields. Soil hardness and fertilizer distribution differ between plowing tillage and rotary tilling; thus, we investigated the maize root system at different growth stages with or without fertilizer application in both of these tillage methods. We evaluated the effect of soil hardness on the root system by comparing plowing tillage and rotary tilling in unfertilized plots, and the effect of fertilization by comparing responses to fertilizer application with plowing tillage and rotary tilling since the effects of tillage and fertilization cannot be separated in each tillage method. Root depth index (RDI), which indicates average root depth, was about 20% smaller with plowing tillage than with rotary tilling after the 7th leaf growth stage (V7) in unfertilized plots. Although RDI in fertilized plots was similar or slightly smaller than that in unfertilized plots, the interaction between fertilization and tillage was not significant, except at the tassel formation stage in 2016. Analysis of root distribution indicated that root length density at soil depths of 0–5 cm tended to be higher with plowing tillage than with rotary tilling after V7, but the effect of the interaction between fertilization and tillage was not significant. These results suggest that the root system of maize becomes shallower after V7 with plowing tillage than with rotary tilling mainly due to higher soil penetration resistance in upland fields converted from paddy fields.

The article seeks to make a gendered study of the plough taboo, a prohibition confined only to women, in Santal society. In the light of a discussion on women-specific taboos and restrictions, their diverse interpretations, customary laws and Santal folktales, the article endeavours to explicate the deeply embedded nature of the taboo within Santal society and unravels the gender politics behind the ‘forbidden’ plough. It argues that such asymmetrical, female-only taboos are not mere symbolic expressions of a community’s belief system. They are veritable patriarchal controls meant to ensure the complete dependence of women over men. The article explores similar asymmetrical taboos in other societies to emphasize the point that such female-only taboos are associated with the crucial elements of one’s survival and hence are grave handicaps for women, in particular the single women. The taboos serve as effective tools to control and manipulate single women and their resources, which may, sometimes, be conveniently used to evict them from their property.

In residue return farming, ploughing and zero‐tillage (syn. no‐till or minimal tillage) rotation may regulate soil physicochemical properties and help reduce erosion and improve productivity; however, the soil physicochemical properties and soil productivity response to ploughing and zero‐tillage rotation remain unclear. This present study evaluates the effects of ploughing and zero‐tillage rotation on soil physicochemical properties and crop productivity based on an 11‐year experiment (2007–2018) on a typical erodible area of the Loess Plateau. Three tillage methods were included: ploughing and zero‐tillage rotation with 1‐year ploughing tillage and 1‐year zero tillage (PZT), ploughing tillage with moldboard plough (PT), and zero tillage (ZT); crop residue was returned in all treatments. After 11 years' we tested, the PZT method showed significantly lower soil water storage in key maize growth stages, less soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (N) storage (0–10 cm), and poorer soil structure stability (0–10 cm) when compared with ZT. However, PZT showed significantly higher SOC and N storage (4.5%, 6.5% and 16.3%, 8.6%, respectively) in the 10–20 cm and 20–40 cm soil layers, compared with ZT. In addition, when compared with ZT and PT, PZT significantly decreased soil penetration resistance in 0–10 cm, 10–20 cm, and 20–40 cm soil depths and significantly increased yield of maize by 10.9 and 7.8%, respectively, and of wheat by 11.2 and 9.8%, respectively. This study highlights that combining ploughing and zero tillage with return of crop residue changed soil physicochemical properties and can provide an effective method to improve soil productivity in an erodible field.

The article considers the results of observation of the growth, development and formation of winter wheat grain yield depending on the methods of basic soil treatment, applied fertilizers and biofungicide Phytotrix. It was found out that the options with shallow and surface treatment were not inferior to the control in terms of yield (plowing by 20-22cm). Mineral fertilizers in a dose of N30P30K30 provided an increase in the productivity of winter wheat relative to the non-fertilized background by an average of 0.54 t / ha. Treatment of plants with phytotrix increased grain production on a non-fertilized background by 0.33 t / ha, on the background of N30P30K30 by 0.76 t / ha. The maximum yield of winter wheat-5.03 t / ha was achieved with the use of combing on the background of N30P30K30 + Phytotrix. The greatest responsiveness in collecting grain from fertilizers was observed in the variants of comb-back processing and surface disking, where the increase was 0.68-0.89 t / ha against the background of N30P30K30 application, and 1.05 t/ha against the background of N30P30K30 + Phytotrix relative to the natural background of the corresponding treatments.Apply mineral fertilizers in a dose of N30P30K30, with the application of biofungicide treatment on the vegetation of the crop, which will increase the yield by 0.76 t / ha, compared to the non-fertilized background.