ANALYSIS OF THE PRODUCTIVE MOISTURE CONTENT IN THE SOIL AT THE CULTIVATION OF WINTER WHEAT UNDER TRADITIONAL AND NO-TILL TECHNOLOGIES IN CROP ROTATION

Abstract

The results of studies on the content of productive moisture in winter wheat sowings during the cultivation using the No-till technology in comparison with the previously recommended technology for the unstable humidification zone of the Stavropol Territory are presented. It has been established that,  on average, for six years of research, the presence of productive moisture in a meter-sick layer of soil was significantly higher at cultivation by No-till technology, as before sowing of winter wheat, where the difference was up to 12,8% and in the period of active water consumption by plants (earing phase) to 14,4%. The higher  moisture content in the meter layer of soil in favor of No-till technology before sowing is due to its high content in arable horizon (0-20 cm), where the difference between the technologies has reached to 38,5%. This difference is caused by conducting basic and presowing tillage according to the traditional technology, as a result of which аn intense evaporation of productive moisture in the arable horizon to 23,8% is observed. By No-till technology, evaporation of moisture is also there, but it is significantly lower (5,6%) due to plant residues on the field surface, which protect the soil from sun and wind. In the earing phase in the first three years of studies, the difference in moisture content is significantly greater by No-till technology, but  over  the next three years there is an equalization of the moisture amount  in the soil by both technologies. This is due to the four-field crop rotation, in which the research is conducted. The main feature of this crop rotation is the alternation of crops with the fibrous and main root systems. At the end of the first rotation of the crop rotation, the root hairs pierced the entire soil profile and, after their withering away, promoted moisture penetration into the deeper layers of the soil using both technologies. By the time of full ripeness, the difference in moisture content between the technologies is insignificant.