Effects of conservation soil management on soil quality were studied in the long term field experiment in Moškanjci, Slovenia, which was established in 1999 and shifted from conventional to organic farming in 2014. Long term conservation (minimum) tillage (MT), with reduced soil disturbances and improved residue management, resulted in stratification of soil organic carbon and nutrients with the highest concentrations in the very topsoil, as opposed to conventional tillage with mouldboard ploughing (CT), which maintained rather uniform distribution down to the ploughing depth. For instance, Corg content in the upper 10 cm layer was higher under conservation treatment (1.60% in 2011; 1.83% in 2017) than conventional (1.45% in 2011, 1.40% in 2017), while no significant differences between the treatments were found in the lower 10-20 cm layer at any sampling time. Similarly, also several other soil properties, such as aggregate stability and water holding capacity, were improved in the upper soil layer of MT in comparison to CT. Microbial biomass was also significantly higher in the topsoil of MT than CT. Furthermore our results indicate an increase of microbial biomass after transition to organic agriculture in both tillage systems. Plant productivity, as an ultimate measure of soil fertility, was generally similar in both soil management systems, with smaller differences between cultures and years, however first year after transition to organic system, yield was highly reduced due to the high weed infestation, especially under MT treatments. Significant effects of crop species on weed infestation was found, the largest average weed cover was measured in maize and soybean of MT treatments (up to 87.8%), while in winter rye of MT it was below 40% in comparison to 20% under CT. Significant effects of both tillage type and crop species was also found on weed soil seed bank abundance; in CT seed bank was generally low whereas on MT (particularly in maize and soybean plots), weed seed density in the top 10 cm soil was very high. Observed
F.09 Development of a new technological process or technology
COBISS.SI-ID: 9348729Effects of conservation soil management on soil quality were studied in the long term field experiment in Moškanjci, Slovenia, which was established in 1999 and shifted from conventional to organic farming in 2014. Long term conservation (minimum) tillage (MT), with reduced soil disturbances and improved residue management, resulted in stratification of soil organic carbon and nutrients with the highest concentrations in the very topsoil, as opposed to conventional tillage with mouldboard ploughing (CT), which maintained rather uniform distribution down to the ploughing depth. Soil organic matter content and several other soil properties, such as aggregate stability and water holding capacity, were improved in the upper soil layer of MT (0-10 cm) in comparison to CT. Microbial biomass was also significantly higher in the topsoil of MT than CT. Furthermore our results indicate an increase of microbial biomass after transition to organic agriculture in both tillage systems. Plant productivity, as an ultimate measure of soil fertility, was generally similar in both soil management systems, with smaller differences between cultures and years. Thus, observed improvement of soil quality under MT supports introduction of conservation soil management into both organic and conventional agricultural systems as potential measure against erosion, drought, and nutrient losses.
F.18 Transfer of new know-how to direct users (seminars, fora, conferences)
COBISS.SI-ID: 9154169If organic farming and conservation soil tillage (CST) are combined within the same field increased weed problematics can be expected. In this research, performed in 2017 on a permanent field experiment in organic production in Moškanjci (SV Slovenia), we examined the effects of soil treatment (mouldboard ploughing vs. CST) and the effects of crop species on weed cover and the abundance of weed soil seed bank. We also evaluated the species composition of weed vegetation and soil seed banks. Some treatments were found to be highly weed infested. Significant effects of crop species were found; in maize and soybean in CST, the largest average weed cover was 87.8% whereas in winter rye in CST it was below 40%. Seed number in top 10 cm of soil in soybean and maize plots was on average 24,980 m-2 and 5,900 m-2 in winter rye. In the case of CST, the average weed cover in rye before harvest was 43%, while seed number was 8,770 m-2. In ploughed plots the average coverage was 20% and seed number only 3,040 m-2. Compared to soil tillage the crop species also had a more pronounced effect on the species composition of weed communities and the composition of soil seed banks. The most abundant weed species in the soil seed bank in CST were the thermophilic weeds, whereas in ploughed treatment winter annuals were the dominant. The results indicate the need for careful weed suppression and prevention of weed seed production in organic arable production.
F.10 Improvements to an existing technological process or technology
COBISS.SI-ID: 9154425