The role of row crop predecessors in controlling weediness and increasing the productivity of rapeseed and rapeseed seeds

Practice shows that the demand for oilseeds is currently very high. Having the potential of large processing capacities in the southern part of the Non-Black Earth Zone of Russia, oilseeds are in high demand, characterizing rapeseed and rape as high-margin crops in agricultural production. The study of the influence of row crop predecessors on the productivity of cruciferous oilseeds in the conditions of this region is interesting and relevant, which served to determine the direction of research. The article presents data on determining the effectiveness of predecessors on weediness, growth and development, productivity of agrocenoses of rapeseed and rape of spring forms. On the dark gray forest soils of the Ryazan region, the maximum yield of oilseeds of rape and rape was obtained on the variants where the predecessor potato was chosen (2.80 t / ha for rape, 2.68 t / ha for rape), the minimum yield of rape and rape was obtained from the predecessor of corn for grain (2.55; 2.44 t / ha, respectively). A direct dependence of the weediness of crops to the yield of oilseeds of the studied crops was revealed. Keywords: RAPESEED, MUGGY, PREDECESSORS, CLOGGING, YIELD, QUALITY

Analyzing Effects of Crops on SMAP Satellite-based Soil Moisture using a Rainfall-Runoff Model in the U.S. Corn Belt

L-band microwave satellite missions provide soil moisture information potentially useful for streamflow and hence flood predictions. However, these observations are also sensitive to the presence of vegetation that makes satellite soil moisture estimations prone to errors. In this study, the authors evaluate satellite soil moisture estimations from SMAP (Soil Moisture Active Passive) and SMOS (Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity), and two distributed hydrologic models with measurements from in~situ sensors in the Corn Belt state of Iowa, a region dominated by annual row crops of corn and soybean. First, the authors compare model and satellite soil moisture products across Iowa using in~situ data for more than 30 stations. Then, they compare satellite soil moisture products with state-wide model-based fields to identify regions of low and high agreement. Finally, the authors analyze and explain the resulting spatial patterns with MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) vegetation indices and SMAP vegetation optical depth. The results indicate that satellite soil moisture estimations are drier than those provided by the hydrologic model and the spatial bias depends on the intensity of row-crop agriculture. The work highlights the importance of developing a revised SMAP algorithm for regions of intensive row-crop agriculture to increase SMAP utility in the real-time streamflow predictions.

RESULTS OF EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF THE USE OF A BRUSHLESS ELECTRIC MOTORIN SEEDING DEVICES OF ROW-CROP SEEDERS OF THE MS TYPE

This paper presents the data of comparative studies of the characteristics of the Mxus XF15R brushless elec-tric motor (rotation speed; consumed current, power and efficiency) depending on the maximum torque. The de-sign of the stand for studying the characteristics of the seeding process when using an electric drive of the seed-ing disc is presented; the key elements of the stand are: the seeding section, seeding disc, electric motor connect-ed to the seeding disc, the control unit, the source of rare-fied pressure, the seeding disc speed sensor and the seeding sensor. The technique of working with the stand and the procedure for setting it up are described. During the operation, the following indicators are taken into ac-count: control signal of the seeding disc drive; seeding disc and rotor revolutions, rpm; the number of the seed in the total volume from the moment of measurement; time between seeds falling, ms; vacuum, kPa; hole diameter, mm; reference time between the fall of adjacent seeds at a given rotational speed of the seeding disc, ms. During the experiment, it was found that with a value in the seed-ing chamber of 5 kPa, in the frequency range of the seed-ing disc from 17-100 rpm, the actual seeding rate was 3.28 pcs m, the number of twins in the seeding process was 8.17%, the number of gaps in the sowing process was 5.46%, and the deviation from the set rate was 5.2%. Thus, the electric drive of the seeding disc based on the brushless DC motor XF15R Mxus has shown its efficiency and may be used in the existing configuration of the MC type sowing device.

The effectiveness of the methods of basic processing of gray forest soil in the link of crop rotation in the production of spring rapeseed and surepitsa seeds

The article offers studies to determine the effectiveness of processing methods for the productivity of spring rapeseed and surepitsa on the dark gray forest soil of the Ryazan region. As a result, it was revealed that the maximum intensity of decomposition of flax tissue was recorded in the steam link of the crop rotation using the dump method of basic tillage for oilseed cabbage crops. The maximum yield of rapeseed was observed on the variant of the steam link of crop rotation + dump processing (31.3 c / ha), in the surepitsa (25.6 c/ha). A high increase in oilseeds in this variant is 4.7 c / ha, where the NSR05 factor with 0.97 c / ha relative to the minimum basic tillage was recorded in 2015. In the experiment, the trends of increasing the yield of oilseeds of spring rapeseed and surepitsa in the fallow link of the crop rotation relative to the row crop are revealed. The maximum oil content of rapeseed was noted in the rowed link of crop rotation during milling tillage (47.6%); in surepitsa – in the rowed link of crop rotation also during milling (45.1%). Keywords: SPRING RAPESEED, SPRING SUREPITSA, DARK GRAY FOREST SOIL, TILLAGE, YIELD, OIL CONTENT

Soil Greenhouse Gas Responses to Biomass Removal in the Annual and Perennial Cropping Phases of an Integrated Crop Livestock System

Diversifying agronomic production systems by combining crops and livestock (i.e., Integrated Crop Livestock systems; ICL) may help mitigate the environmental impacts of intensive single-commodity production. In addition, harvesting row-crop residues and/or perennial biomass could increase the multi-functionality of ICL systems as a potential source for second-generation bioenergy feedstock. Here, we evaluated non-CO2 soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from both row-crop and perennial grass phases of a field-scale model ICL system established on marginally productive, poorly drained cropland in the western US Corn Belt. Soil emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) were measured during the 2017–2019 growing seasons under continuous corn (Zea mays L.) and perennial grass treatments consisting of a common pasture species, ‘Newell’ smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis L.), and two cultivars of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), ‘Liberty’ and ‘Shawnee.’ In the continuous corn system, we evaluated the impact of stover removal by mechanical baling vs. livestock grazing for systems with and without winter cover crop, triticale (x Triticosecale neoblaringhemii A. Camus; hexaploid AABBRR). In perennial grasslands, we evaluated the effect of livestock grazing vs. no grazing. We found that (1) soil N2O emissions are generally higher in continuous corn systems than perennial grasslands due to synthetic N fertilizer use; (2) winter cover crop use had no effect on total soil GHG emissions regardless of stover management treatment; (3) stover baling decreased total soil GHG emissions, though grazing stover significantly increased emissions in one year; (4) grazing perennial grasslands tended to increase GHG emissions in pastures selected for forage quality, but were highly variable from year to year; (5) ICL systems that incorporate perennial grasses will provide the most effective GHG mitigation outcomes.