The effect of different agrotechnical levels on weed infestation in crops of naked and husked varieties of oat (Avena sativa L.)

The present study was carried out in the period 2007- 2009 in the Experimental Farm in Bezek near the city of Chełm. The aim of the investigation was to compare weed infestation of the husked (Krezus) and naked (Cacko) oat cultivars cultivated under conditions of different weed control treatments. The following weed control levels were compared: A - control object; B - harrowing twice; C - application of the herbicide Mustang 306 SE; D - herbicide Mustang 306 SE + foliar fertilizer Insol 3; E - herbicide Mustang 306 SE + two foliar fertilizers: Insol 3 and FoliCare 18:18:18. The husked oat cv. Krezus was more competitive against weeds. Number of dicotyledonous weeds and of monocotyledonous weeds, total weeds, and air-dry weight of above-ground parts of weeds in the crop of this cultivar were all significantly lower compared to the naked cv. Cacko. From the group of dicotyledonous species, Chenopodium album, Galinsoga parviflora, Matricaria maritima ssp. inodora, Polygonum aviculare, and Stellaria media were the dominant species in the crops of the oat varieties under investigation, whereas among the monocotyledonous species Echinochloa crus-galli, Setaria pumila, Apera spica-venti, and Elymus repens occurred in greatest numbers. The application of the herbicide Mustang 306 SE decreased the number of dicotyledonous weeds and air-dry weight of weeds, compared to the treatment in which mechanical weed control had been used

The Effect of Subsurface Placement of Mineral Fertilizer on Some Soil Properties under Reduced Tillage Soybean Cultivation

One of the adverse effects of no-tillage is the accumulation of nutrients (in particular P and K) in the top soil layer. The subsurface application of mineral fertilizers at a depth of 10–30 cm can reduce this phenomenon and at the same time provide a relatively uniform access to soil nutrients for plant roots. Such a method of mineral fertilizer application can additionally decrease the environmental risk associated with water eutrophication because the water runoff from fields, where the soil P content is high, is reduced. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of the subsurface application of different rates of a compound mineral fertilizer on the content of some macronutrients, soil organic carbon content (SOC), and soil pH in a field after the harvest of soybean grown under reduced tillage conditions. The field experiment was conducted during the growing seasons of 2014/2015–2016/2017 in the village of Rogów, Zamość County, Poland. It was set up as a split-plot design in four replicates. The first experimental factor included two methods of mineral fertilization application: fertilizer broadcast over the soil surface (S); fertilizer applied deep (subsurface placed) using a specially designed cultivator (Sub-S). The other factor was the rates of the mineral fertilizer (NPKS): 85 kg∙ha−1 (F85) and 170 kg∙ha−1 (F170). Over the successive years of the study, the SOC content was found to increase. However, neither the fertilization rate nor the method of fertilizer application caused any significant difference in organic carbon. Under subsurface fertilizer application conditions, a higher soil pH was found in treatment F85, however, when the fertilizer was surface-applied, the soil in treatment F170 had a higher pH value. During the three-year study period, the P and K content in the 0–30 cm soil layer was higher than in the 30–60 cm and 60–90 cm layers. In turn, the highest Mg content was determined in the 30–60 cm layer. In the case of both mineral fertilizer application methods, a higher P content was determined in the soil fertilized at a rate of 170 kg NPKS, compared with a rate of 85 kg∙ha−1. The surface application of the higher rate of mineral fertilization resulted in an increase in the soil K content. On the other hand, when the mineral fertilizer was subsurface-applied, a higher soil K was determined in the treatments with lower mineral fertilization

Fertilizing Potential of Rye Stillage in A Maize Agroecosystem

The distillery stillage is a major byproduct generated during ethanol production from plant raw materials (e.g., cereals) and molasses. It contains a high percentage of organic matter susceptible to biodegradation and nutrients necessary for plant growth, and therefore, can be used for fertilization purposes. This study evaluated the fertilizing value of rye stillage applied in a grain maize agroecosystem. The field study was carried out in 2017–2018 (two growing seasons) on Luvisol (loamy sand) in Poland. The experiment scheme included four treatments: W0—the control with no stillage treatment, W15—15 m3 of stillage per hectare, W30—30 m3 of stillage per hectare, and W45—45 m3 of stillage per hectare. It was found that application of rye stillage was significant for maize yields. However, it demands supplementary potassium fertilization and regulation of the soil reaction and/or stabilization of the pH of stillage before its application. Moreover, due to its contribution to the build-up of residual available phosphorus in the soil, rye stillage may pose an environmental risk

The influence of undersown crops and using of herbicide Chwastox Extra 300 SL on grain yield and yield components of spring barley cultivated in monoculture

Doświadczenie polowe przeprowadzono w Stacji Doświadczalnej w Bezku koło Chełma latach 2005–2007. Celem badań była ocena wpływu wsiewek międzyplonowych (koniczyna czerwona odm. Dajana, koniczyna biała odm. Astra) oraz stosowania herbicydu Chwastox Extra 300 SL na plon i elementy struktury plonu jęczmienia jarego odmiany Rataj uprawianego w monokulturze. Plon ziarna oraz elementy struktury plonu jęczmienia jarego były kształtowane przez warunki pogodowe w okresie wegetacji. Wsiewka koniczyny czerwonej powodowała istotny wzrost plonu ziarna, liczby kłosów produkcyjnych oraz liczby i masy ziaren w kłosie w stosunku do obiektu kontrolnego i obiektu z wsiewką koniczyny białej. Zastosowanie herbicydu Chwastox Extra 300 SL nie wpływało na istotną zmianę wielkości plonu ziarna jęczmienia jarego oraz elementów jego struktury.The field experiment was carried out at the Experimental Station in Bezek near Chełm in the years 2005–2007. The aim of the study was to estimate the influence of undersown crops (red clover cv. Dajana, white clover cv. Astra) and herbicide Chwastox Extra 300 SL on grain yield and yield components of spring barley cv. Rataj cultivated in monoculture. Weather conditions of growing season significantly differentiated grain yield and yield components of spring barley. Underplant of red clover significantly increased grain yield, number of ears per 1 m2 as well as the number and weight of grain per ear as compared to the control treatment and the treatment with white clover. Application of herbicide Chwastox Extra 300 SL did not affect either grain yield or yield components of spring barley

Impact of the Cultivation System and Plant Cultivar on Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi of Spelt (<em>Triticum aestivum</em> ssp. <em>Spelta</em> L.) in a Short-Term Monoculture

Native communities of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) constitute a natural biofertilization, biocontrol, and bioprotection factor for most agricultural crops, including cereals. The present study investigated the native AMF population in cultivated spelt, i.e., a cereal that has not been analyzed in this respect to date. In particular, the aim of the study was to determine the number of spores and the degree of AMF root colonization in two spelt cultivars (Franckenkorn and Badengold) from a 3-year monoculture grown in two different cultivation systems: conventional tillage and no-tillage systems. The study showed considerable accumulation of AMF spores in the soil (on average 1325 in 100 g of air-dry soil), with a wide range of their numbers, and not a very high degree of endomycorrhizal colonization (on average from 3.0% to 31%). The intensity of AMF growth in the subsequent cultivation years gradually increased and depended on the cultivation system as well as the growth stage and cultivar of the spelt. It was found that both analyzed AMF growth indices in the no-tillage system were positively correlated with each other. Moreover, their values were higher in the no-tillage system than in the conventional system, with statistical significance only for the number of spores. This was mainly observed in the variant with the Franckenkorn cultivar. The effect of the growing season was evident in both cultivation systems and spelt cultivars. It was reflected by intensification of sporulation and mycorrhization of spelt roots by AMF in summer (maturation stage) compared with the spring period (flowering stage)

Consequences of the Long-Term Fertilization System Use on Physical and Microbiological Soil Status in the Western Polissia of Ukraine

The response of soil microbial diversity to long-term fertilization is still not well understood in the context of different soil types. The purpose of this research was to reveal the impact of fertilization systems on soil parameters and life activity of the main taxonomic and physiological groups of microorganisms responsible for nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus transformation. Reported results were obtained in the course of a 55-year-long experiment on fertilization of sod-podzolic soil in a grain-flax-potato crop rotation. Soil sampling was conducted within a 0&ndash;20 cm depth in five sites: without fertilizer (C); organic fertilization system, manure (O1FS); mineral fertilization system, NPK (MFS); organic-mineral fertilization system, manure + NPK (O1MFS); and organic-mineral fertilization system, siderate + NPK (O2MFS). Long-term use of various fertilization systems has led to changes in the soil properties. Bacteria dominated the microbial community in all examined areas. Soil fertilization supported bacteria development in all variants, except for MFS, and negatively affected the micromycetes content. A strong relationship between the change of the main soil indicators and the number of microorganisms from the main taxonomic groups was found between the soil pH KCl and the number of micromycetes. The O1FS option had the most beneficial effect on the development of soil nitrifiers and denitrifiers. The O1MFS fertilization system was the most favorable for the development of non-symbiotic anaerobic nitrogen-fixing, cellulose-degrading and phosphate-mobilizing microorganisms. In turn, the least favorable conditions for the development of physiological groups of microorganisms were found in cases of continuous use of mineral fertilizers

Wholemeal Spelt Bread Enriched with Green Spelt as a Source of Valuable Nutrients

The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional value of wholemeal bread prepared from the flour of spelt wheat (Triticum aestivum ssp. spelta) that was enriched by the addition of freeze-dried spelt grain (at proportions of 4%, 8%, and 12%, respectively, in relation to the flour weight). The spelt grain used in the study was harvested at the milk dough stage (the so-called green grain). Green spelt grain was characterized by a significantly higher content of minerals namely P, Mg, Ca and Zn compared to ripe spelt grain. Additionally, it contained significantly higher amounts of amino acids (Asp, Thr, Ser, Gly, Ala, Cys, Val, Met, Ile, Leu, Phe, Lys), lipids, as well as monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), and omega-3 and omega-9 acids. However, it had a lower content of palmitic, stearic, and linoleic acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), and omega-6 acids. The results showed that the nutritional value of bread was improved by the green spelt grain, however the &omega;6/&omega;3 ratio in bread enriched with green spelt grain was slightly less favorable than in control bread. Among all the products tested, bread enriched with a 12% proportion of green spelt grain was characterized by the highest content of almost all the amino acids (except for Pro, Cys, and Met), as well as in Mg, Zn, Mn, Cu and Fe. In addition, overall acceptability of this bread was the highest. Bread enriched with 8% of green grain contained the highest amount of P, Ca, Pro, linoleic acid, PUFA, and &omega; 6 acids, while bread enriched with 4% of green spelt grain had the highest content of palmitic acid and saturated fatty acids

Phytochemical properties and heavy metal accumulation in wheat grain after three years’ fertilization with biogas digestate and mineral waste

Non-standard materials used for plant fertilization, require characterization to reduce any possible undesired effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of fertilization with biogas digestate (BD) and mining waste (carboniferous mudstones (MS) from coal mine) on wheat yield quality and the bioaccumulation of heavy metals in wheat grains in relation to conventional fertilization (NPK) and no fertilization. Using the co-application of waste (MS+BD), the highest yield was obtained in the first and second year, but in the third year, a slight decrease in yield was observed compared to NPK. In all years, BD and MS+BD fertilization increased the content of protein, wet gluten, and phenols in wheat grain compared to NPK and no fertilization. Waste fertilization had a positive effect on the antioxidant capacity index of grain but only in the first year. The bioaccumulation index (BAI) demonstrated that NPK decreased BAI for Zn, B, Cd, and Mn, whereas MS+BD decreased BAI for Cu, Sr, Pb, Co, Ba, and Cr