Scholarly record

EFFECT OF GROWING CLOVERS AS INTERMEDIATE CROPS ON THE STABILITY OF SOIL AGGREGATES

Antonín Kintl, Igor Huňády, Jaroslav lang, Martin Brtnický, Jakub Elbl

Abstract

The presented paper deals with the issue of enhancing soil erosion resistance in the cultivation of crops prone to soil erosion. In the period before growing maize (Zea mays L.) as a main crop, a system of cultivating intermediate crops was tested with the use of clovers. The main criterion in the classification of soil resistance to erosion was the soil aggregates stability (SAS). In 2017, the experimental plot was divided after the harvest of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) into the following four variants: a) control (without intermediate crops); b) intermediate crop Trifolium incarnatum L.; c) intermediate crop Trifolium repens L.; d) intermediate crop Medicago lupulina L. The intermediate crops were grown from 8/2017 to 4/2018. Their growth was then terminated by desiccation and the whole experimental plot was sown with maize (Zea mays L.). Prior to the sowing, the soil was sampled in order to determine SAS. Measured values ranged from 24.2 % (control) to 46.6 % (Medicago lupulina L.). Significant differences (P < 0.01) were found between the control variant and the variants with the intermediate crops. The measured values demonstrated a beneficial influence of the cultivation of intermediate crops on the SAS of arable land on which a crop followed with the low erosion control function. The growing of intermediate crops increased the soil resistance to water erosion.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgem2021/3.1/s13.57

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