Long term effects of different tillage systems influencing yield and energy efficiency in maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

Adoption and improvement of different tillage systems toward agricultural sustainability has a great social, economical and environmental impact. The base of sustainability is a system productivity as ratio of output to input in a given system, measured in the same units, commonly as energy requirements. The objective of this study was to evaluate the aspect of energy requirements in the different soil tillage systems regarding total energy consumption under conventional tillage. The appropriate measuring at the field conditions, conducted during the period of investigation 1998-2010 on the soil type of slightly calcareous Chernozem. Maize crop was grown under typical Balkan two-crop rotation with winter wheat. Grain yield of maize and energy efficiency were fallowed on the different tillage systems: conventional tillage (CTS - summer tillage of stubble + deep autumn plowing + pre-sowing preparation); reduced tillage (RTS - heavy disc harrowing ); and no-tillage (NT - direct sowing into wheat stubble covered with all amounts of straw residues using no-till planter John Deer Max emerge 2 with the double disc openers). Results of examination have indicated high energy efficiency of No tillage Systems (NTS). Besides statistically lower yields being recorded comparing to a conventional tillage, good results with No-till system have actualizing necessity to continue research on new growing technology and to improve its implementation. .

Efikasno unapređenje različitih sistema obrade zemljišta u pravcu održive poljoprivredne proizvodnje, danas ima poseban socijalni, ekonomski i ekološki značaj. Osnova održivosti proizvodnje, jeste produktivnost sistema gajenja određene kulture izražena kao odnos uložene energije u procesu proizvodnje i dobijene energije oličene u prinosu glavnog proizvoda. Cilj ovog rada bio je da upoređenjem ispitivanih sistema obrade zemljišta sa energetskog i proizvodnog aspekta odgovori na pitanje održivosti proizvodnje kukuruza. Odgovarajuća merenja u poljskim uslovima, su obavljena u višegodišnjem periodu 1998-2010. godine, na zemljištu tipa karbonatni černozem. Kukuruz je gajen u balkanskom dvopoljnom plodoredu, naizmeničnim smenjivanjem sa ozimom pšenicom. Prinos suvog zrna i energetska efikasnost praćeni su na različitim sistemima obrade zemljišta: konvencionalna obrada (CTS-letnja obrada strništa + duboko jesenje oranje + predsetvena obrada zemljišta); redukovane obrade (RTS - obrada teškom tanjiračom), i direktne setve (NTS - usejavanjem u strnište pokriveno kompletnom masom žetvenih ostataka sejalicom za direktnu setvu, John Deer Max Emerge 2). Rezultati istraživanja ukazuju na visoku energetsku efikasnost sistema direktne setve (NTS), što bez obzira na statistički niže prinose ostvarene u odnosu na klasičnu obradu zemljišta aktuelizuje potrebu nastavka razvojnih istraživanja na implementaciji novih tehnologija gajenja kukuruza. .