Scholarly record

CONSERVATION OF WATER IN SOIL UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF FERTILIZATION AND SOIL TILLAGE SYSTEM IN MAIZE CROP

Felicia Chetan, Paula Ioana Moraru, Teodor Rusu, Alina Simon, Cornel Chetan

Abstract

The soil tillage system through the intensity of soil mobility influences its physical state, the capitalization of the fertilization system applied, and together they condition the water conservation in the soil, respectively the development of maize crop. The arable lands damaged by intensive conventional pratices are a cause of the loss of carbon and water in the soil, to a larger or smaller scale, according to soil, season and especially the stage of damage of soils. The purpose of the paper is the research of the influence of soil tillage systems (conventional and minimum tillage) and of the fertilization system upon moisture, water reserve and production of maize, during 2012-2016, on a Faeoziom from the Transylvanian Plain. The result of the research is the fact that maize is affected by the soil tillage system, the level of fertilization and climate conditions, the production results confirming it.The water reserve accessible to maize plants, established 0-100 cm deep, during the five experimental years, starting with March and up to the end of October, increases more in the conventional system with plowing but it is also lost easier than in the minimum tillage during the periods with heavy drought. In June, the values recorded in both soil tillage systems were close, 663 m3/ha in the conventional system and 621m3/ha in minimum tillage. The pedological drought was installed in August (-113 m3/ha in the conventional system and -135 m3/ha in minimum tillage), aspect felt until the end of the year. In minimum tillage, the loss of water is slower and the plant can use water from the deep horizons which mounts through capillarity to the roots. The maize production recorded as an average during the five years from the study (2012-2016) is higher in the conventional system (5435 kg/ha) compared to minimum tillage, where production was reduced by 570.5 kg/ha (4864 kg/ha).

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