The influence of crops, fertilization and phase of exploitation on the productivity of forage on the recultivated land coal pit

Abstract

Mining Basin "Kolubara" is the open pit coal (lignite), which covers about 550 km(2), and is the most important in Serbia. For the purpose of expanding its occupied and agricultural land, so far about 1300 ha were recultivated. After completions of mining activities in the "Kolubara", large areas of degraded land remain, which should be returned to its original state as possible. Recultivation process is lengthy and very complex, and in that period, in addition to repairing the physical and chemical properties of the soil, it should be economically used. Cultivation of fodder crops in recultivated areas is one way to use them. The aim of this study was to determine the productivity of fodder crops, depending on different crops, the exploitation phases and the different types of fertilizers nutrition. Results demonstrated that the production of forage crops can be successfully organized on recultivated land, but the yields obtained are lower than the yield obtained on arable land, by 15-30% depending on the crop. The level of forage yield very significantly depended on forage species, the exploitation phase and their interaction.