The influence of primary soil tillage on soil weed seed bank and weed incidence in a cereal-grass crop rotation

Abstract A field experiment was carried out at Vėžaičiai Branch of Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry during the period 2008-2011. The study was aimed to determine the effects of various soil tillage methods: deep ploughing (20-25 cm), shallow ploughing (10-12 cm), shallow ploughless tillage (8-10 cm) and soil fertility improvement measures (plant residues, plant residues + straw, green manure 1 st cut + straw, green manure 2 nd cut + straw, farmyard manure 40 t ha -1 + straw) on the soil weed seed bank and weed incidence in a cereal-grass crop rotation. The soil of the experimental site is Dystric-Epihypogleyic Albeluvisol (ABg-p-w-dy) with a texture of sandy loam. In all experimental years, primary soil tillage had a significant influence on weed incidence in the crops of the rotation and on soil weed seed bank. The greatest amount of weeds, both in numbers and dry mass, in the crops of winter triticale and spring rape was determined in the shallow ploughless tillage treatment, in the crops of spring barley in the shallow ploughing treatment, and in the sward of red clover in deep and shallow ploughing treatments. All soil fertility improvement measures and their interaction with soil tillage methods did not have any substantial influence on the weed incidence in the rotation crops. The soil weed seed bank was 1.5 and 2.2 times greater in the shallow ploughing and shallow ploughless tillage treatments, compared with the conventional tillage treatment (deep ploughing). The influence of soil tillage methods manifested itself not only directly, but also through its interaction with soil fertility improvement measures. Regardless of the chosen soil fertility improvement measure, in all the treatments of shallow ploughless tillage, the soil weed seed bank was significantly greater, compared with the conventional soil tillage treatments. In the shallow ploughing and shallow ploughless tillage treatments there were found 25.5% and 41.5% more weed seed species in the soil, compared with the conventional tillage treatment. The seeds of Chenopodium album L., Persicaria lapathifolia L., Fallopia convolvulus L. and Viola arvensis Murray were found in all tillage treatments. The distribution of F. convolvulus L., P. lapathifolia L. seeds was significantly influenced by soil tillage only, that of V. arvensis Murray by soil tillage and its interaction with soil fertility improvement measures, and that of Ch. album L. by soil fertility improvement measures only

The effect of sewage sludge on and cup plant’s (Silphium perfoliatum L.) biomass productivity under Western Lithuania’s retisol

The long-term field experiment with new high yielding perennial energy crop - cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) was conducted in order to evaluate its biomass productivity in Vėžaičiai branch of the Lithuanian Research Centre for Agricultural and Forestry. Experimental site – naturally acid Bathygleic Dystric Glossic Retisol, pH 4.2-4.4. Granulated sewage sludge was applied (at 45 and 90 t ha-1 rates) as an alternative organic fertilizer. The fertilization was done at the beginning of the experiment, prior to cup plant’s sprouts planting in 2013. Each experimental year, traditional N60P60K60 fertilization was performed in a separate treatment. Cup plant’s biomass was harvesting once per season at the end of vegetation. Cup plant’s dry mass (DM) yield substantially increased from 2.80 t ha-1 (in 2014) to 13.41 t ha-1 (in 2016). The use of sewage sludge fertilization was notably superior to that of mineral fertilization for cup plant’s biomass productivity. In all experimental years, the optimal was the application of 45 t ha-1 rate of sewage sludge - in compare with unfertilized treatment (control), DM yield increased by 66 %, on average. Increasing of sewage sludge rate up to 90 kg ha-1 did not give any DM yield supplement. Energy evaluation of growing technology revealed that the application of 45 t ha-1 sewage sludge rate caused the substantial increase of energy output from 1 ha; and on the contrarily, sharply decreased net energy ratio. In order to determine the long-term effects of fertilization on biomass yield, these studies will continue a few more years

Daugiamečių energinių augalų įtakos dirvožemiui ir jų panaudojimo biokurui kompleksiniai tyrimai

Lietuvos agrarinių ir miškų mokslų centro filialas Žemdirbystės institutas, Vėžaičių filiala

Nuotekų dumblo vienkartinio panaudojimo įtaka geltonžiedžių legėstų biomasės derliui ir natūraliai rūgštaus dirvožemio savybių kaitai

Siekiant įvertinti granuliuoto nuotekų dumblo įtaką geltonžiedžio legėsto (Silphium perfoliatum L.) produktyvumui, dirvožemio fizikinėms ir mikrobiologinėms savybėms, lauko eksperimentas buvo atliktas Vakarų Lietuvoje natūraliai rūgščiame balkšvažemio moreniniame priemolyje (Jlj6-b), kurio pHKCl 4,3–4,9. Geltonžiedžių legėstų sausųjų medžiagų derlius nuosekliai didėjo nuo 2,96 (2013 m.) iki 13,0 (2016 m.) t ha-1. Kiekvienais metais geltonžiedžių legėstų sausųjų medžiagų derliui optimalu buvo tręšimas 45 t ha-1 nuotekų dumblo. Ir 45, ir 90tha-1 nuotekų dumblo turėjo panašų teigiamą poveikį dirvožemio cheminės sudėties kaitai, vandeniui atsparių trupinėlių susidarymui, dirvožemio tankiui bei kietumui ir drėgmės kiekiui. Kiekvienais tyrimo metais dirvožemio mikroorganizmų biomasės anglies padidėjimui 0–30 cm gylyje didžiausią įtaką turėjo tręšimas 90 t ha-1 nuotekų dumblo. Tyrimo rezultatai leidžia teigti, kad energinius augalus geltonžiedžius legėstus auginant balkšvažemio moreniniame priemolyje, juos tikslingiausia tręšti 45 t ha-1 granuliuoto nuotekų dumbloIn order to estimate the effect of granulated sewage sludge on the productivity of the cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.), soil physical and microbial properties, a field experiment was carried out in Western Lithuania, on a naturally acid moraine loam Bathygleyic Dystric Glossic Retisol with a pH of 4.3–4.9. The dry matter yield of the cup plant consistently increased over the experimental years from 2.83 t ha-1 (in 2013) to 12.86 t ha-1 (in 2016). Each year, the optimum sewage sludge rate for dry matter yield of cup plant was 45 t ha-1. The use of both sewage sludge rates 45 and 90 t ha-1 had a similar and positive impact on soil chemical composition, water-stable aggregate formation, topsoil bulk density, soil penetration resistance and moisture content. Each experimental year, the application of sewage sludge at a rate of 90 t ha-1 had the strongest impact on the increase in soil microbial biomass carbon at the 0–30 cm depthAgronomijos fakultetasLietuvos agrarinių ir miškų mokslų centro Vėžaičių filialasVytauto Didžiojo universiteta

Naujos, ne maistinės žaliavos biodyzelino gamybai

Vytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij

Changes in the weed communities as affected by different primary soil tillage and deep loosening

Long-term soil cultivation at the same depth affects soil characteristics and crop productivity. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of a long-term different intensity soil tillage methods and deep loosening on weed number, weed agrobiological group and soil seed bank changes in till Bathygleyic Dystric Glossic Retisol soil under the climatic conditions of the Western Lithuania (geographical coordinates 55°43′38″N, 21°27′43″E). The study included different soil tillage methods (conventional ploughing, shallow ploughing and shallow ploughless tillage) and deep loosening. During investigational years, the greatest weed number in crops and the greatest weed seed number in the seed bank were determined in the soil reduced tillage (shallow ploughing and shallow ploughless tillage). The weed number in crops of conventional ploughing soil was 35.8% lover compared to reduced tillage soil. The weed seed number in the seed bank of conventional ploughing was 49.6% lover compared to reduced tillage Decreasing soil tillage intensity resulted in weed seeds concentration in the upper topsoil. A one-time deep loosening had a significant effect during the crop rotation: the weed number in crops and weed seed number in the seed bank were determined to have increased by 26.6% and 51.6% in conventional ploughing soil and by 11.9% and 23.2% shallow ploughless soil respectively. However, after deep loosening, the number of Poa annua in crops decreased 2.9 times in plots of conventional ploughing and 1.7 times – in plots of shallow ploughing soil

The effect of liming and nitrogen application on common osier and black poplar biomass productivity and determination of biofuel quality indicators

Experiments with two short rotation woody energy crops, common osier (Salix viminalis L.) and black poplar (Populus nigra L.) were carried out in Western Lithuania (55 430 N, 21 270 E) on a naturally acid moraine loamy Retisol. According to the results averaged over the two successive growing rotations (2008e2012 and 2013e2016), the dry matter (DM) yield of common osier amounted to 74.76 t ha 1 and 71.63 t ha 1, respectively and that of black poplar totalled 42.28 and 54.24 t ha 1. Nitrogen fertilization significantly increased the number of stems and DM yield for both crops, while stem height was increased only for osier. High-quality chaff of common osier and black poplar was produced using a screw chopper. Our study evidenced that common osier and black poplar biomass feedstock meets the requirements for high quality solid biofuel. When chopped by a screw chopper, wet chaff (40e55% moisture content) may be burned in high and medium power boilers equipped with combustion devices suitable for the incineration of wet chopped woody plantsLietuvos agrarinių ir mi škų mokslų centro Vėžaičių filialasLietuvos agrarinių ir miškų mokslų centro Vėžaičių filialasVytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij

Pagrindinio žemės dirbimo įtaka dirvožemio sėklų bankui ir piktžolėtumui javų bei žolių sėjomainoje

In the shallow ploughing and shallow ploughless tillage treatments there were found 25.5% and 41.5% more weed seed species in the soil, compared with the conventional tillage treatment. The seeds of Chenopodium album L., Persicaria lapathifolia L., Fallopia convolvulus L. and Viola arvensis Murray were found in all tillage treatments. The distribution of F. convolvulus L., P. lapathifolia L. seeds was significantly influenced by soil tillage only, that of V. arvensis Murray by soil tillage and its interaction with soil fertility improvement measures, and that of Ch. album L. by soil fertility improvement measures only

The Effect of Mineral and Organic Fertilization on Common Osier (Salix viminalis L.) Productivity and Qualitative Parameters of Naturally Acidic Retisol

One of the potential options for sewage sludge as an alternative organic material is the fertilization of energy crops. To evaluate the effect of granulated sewage sludge and mineral fertilization N60P60K60 on common osier’s (Salix viminalis L.) biomass productivity and soil parameters, field trials were held in Western Lithuania’s naturally acidic Retisol (WB 2014; pHKCl 4.35–4.58). After four years of cultivation and dependent on fertilization type, common osier dry matter (DM) yield varied from 49.60 to 77.92 t ha−1. Higher DM yield was related to an increased number of stems/plants. The application of a 90 t ha−1 sewage sludge rate had a significant and positive impact on common osier productivity, as well as on the increment of soil organic carbon, total N, and mobile P2O5 content in the upper 0–30 cm soil layer. The use of both sewage sludge rates (45 and 90 t ha−1) had a similar impact on soil bulk density, water-stable aggregates, and the active soil microbial biomass. Annual mineral fertilization had little effect on the parameters studied. When growing common osier in Retisol, 45 t ha−1 of a single sewage sludge rate was enough to maintain both plant and soil productivity

The Effect of Mineral and Organic Fertilization on Common Osier (<i>Salix viminalis</i> L.) Productivity and Qualitative Parameters of Naturally Acidic <i>Retisol</i>

One of the potential options for sewage sludge as an alternative organic material is the fertilization of energy crops. To evaluate the effect of granulated sewage sludge and mineral fertilization N60P60K60 on common osier’s (Salix viminalis L.) biomass productivity and soil parameters, field trials were held in Western Lithuania’s naturally acidic Retisol (WB 2014; pHKCl 4.35–4.58). After four years of cultivation and dependent on fertilization type, common osier dry matter (DM) yield varied from 49.60 to 77.92 t ha−1. Higher DM yield was related to an increased number of stems/plants. The application of a 90 t ha−1 sewage sludge rate had a significant and positive impact on common osier productivity, as well as on the increment of soil organic carbon, total N, and mobile P2O5 content in the upper 0–30 cm soil layer. The use of both sewage sludge rates (45 and 90 t ha−1) had a similar impact on soil bulk density, water-stable aggregates, and the active soil microbial biomass. Annual mineral fertilization had little effect on the parameters studied. When growing common osier in Retisol, 45 t ha−1 of a single sewage sludge rate was enough to maintain both plant and soil productivity