Productivity of crops for cultivation in single-species and mixed crops in organic agrocenoses of the Forest-Steppe

Abstract

Goal. To determine the productivity of single-species and mixed crops, and the impact of various soil cultivation systems on the economic and energy efficiency of growing such crops in organic agrocenoses of the Forest-Steppe. Methods. The research was conducted at the National Scientific Center “Institute of Agriculture of NAAS “ during 2021–2024 using the following methods: field (determination of the interaction of agrotechnical factors, the influence of hydrothermal and soil conditions on the objects studied); comparative calculation (economic and energy assessment of the studied factors); mathematical statistical (establishing the reliability of the experimental data obtained). Results. It was found that the combination of snow plowing to a depth of 20–22 cm, high-quality pre-sowing tillage, and phytocenotic impact at the combined cultivation of cereal and legume components of agrocenosis provided an increase in yield compared to single-species crops by 0.47 t/ha in the case of cultivation of spring vetch with oats, and 0.72 t/ha in the case of cultivation of winter rye with winter vetch. The total productivity of such crops increased by 0.36–0.77 t/ha of grain units, or by 18.3–32.9%, and conditionally net profit was 11,563–21,079 UAH/ha at the level of pro­fitability of 123–212%. Conclusions. Analysis of indicators of energy efficiency of cultivation showed that shallow cultivation of soil in the case of both single-species crops of grain crops, and binary with leguminous crops, had a bioenergetical and technological advantage over shallow disc cultivation. The energy efficiency factors of crops per 1 ha of crop rotation area for plowing by 20–22 cm varied from 3.25–3.70, and for shallow disc cultivation 2.95–3.20.