Impact of subsoiling and scattered sowing on some soil physical properties and wheat productivity

Abstract

The demonstrational on-farm field experiment (three agricultural farms in Vilkaviškis, Pakruojis and Kretinga regions, Lithuania) were carried out in 2010-2012 on light and average loam soils. The aim of the experiment was to evaluate and demonstrate the impact of subsoiling and scattered sowing operations on some soil physical properties and wheat productivity parameters in different regions of Lithuania. Deep soil tillage (subsoiling, Agrisem Combiplow) was performed at 40-45 cm depth before beginning of the experiment. The soil physical properties were tested at the renewal of wheat vegetation in spring. Scattered sowing was performed with Agrisem Disc-O-Sem drill. The results of the experiment showed that subsoiling destroyed hardened deep soil layers, and we found the influence of this operation during the time (3 years) of the experiment. Scattered sowing with shallow disking warranted favourable soil physical properties for wheat germination and development. Structural particles of the researched fields were water resistant. After affecting them with water, about 60 % of the particles remained solid. Unstable (dusty) microstructure made only 0.5-4.6 % and did not exceed the permissible limit. The limit of the soil bulk density (1.4 g·cm-3) was not exceeded in any experimental field, too. These affected on high grain (on average about 6 t·ha-1) productivity.