Influence of structural density and soil moisture on the productivity of intensive and semi-intensive spring barley varieties

Abstract

Goal. To determine the influence of agrophysical parameters of arable soil layer on the productivity of spring barley varieties of different types of intensity under conditions of application of mineral fertilizers on the example of typical deep low humus deep-boiling heavy loam on loess-like loam chernozem of the Left Bank part of Forest-steppe of Ukraine. Methods. Laboratory-analytical, laboratory-model, field (small-area), mathematical-statistical, computational. Results. The improvement of conditions of germination, development, and increase of biological mass of cultivars of the studied culture at soil density and humidity at the level of 1.2 g/cm3 and 80% of the lowest moisture content (LMC) in comparison with compacted soil is established. The optimal values of structure density and soil moisture are determined, which ensure the maximum biomass of intensive variety of spring barley Vzirets: 1.2 g/cm3 and 100% of LMC (at the application of 90 kg/ha of the active substance (a.s.) of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers); semi-intensive variety Zdobutok: 1.2 g/cm3 and 80% of LMC (at the application of 45 kg/ha of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers, and 90 kg/ha of potassium fertilizers). In the course of field research, a decrease in the use of nutrients from the soil was revealed: nitrogen by 4.0% — for intensive and 2.0% — for semi-intensive varieties; phosphorus — by 3.4 and 4.7%; potassium — by 10.7 and 6.3%, respectively, at a high (1.4 g/cm3) level of compaction compared to its low (1.0 g/cm3) level. Under the same conditions, a decrease in the yield of spring barley grain was revealed: intensive variety — by 25, semi-intensive — by 22%. Conclusions. According to the results of experimental studies, the complex influence of soil moisture and compaction levels was revealed and their optimal parameters were established for growing intensive and semi-intensive varieties of spring barley, which achieved their maximum yield in soil fertilization.