Productivity of Rainfed Winter Wheat with Direct Sowing and Economic Efficiency of Diversified Fertilization in Arid Region of South Kazakhstan

Reduced soil tillage is a powerful means to mitigate soil degradation. However, in arid climates, no-till rainfed technologies often result in yield drop due to lack of soil moisture and mineral nutrition. Rainfed production of winter wheat using direct sowing and diversified fertilization in South Kazakhstan was studied in 2019–2020. Eight field-scale treatments using nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers were studied for biometric parameters of winter wheat. An economic profitability of the amendments used was assessed. The soil managed to accumulate productive moisture to support plants’ needs during formation of productive organs. Use of phosphorus fertilizer at direct sowing accelerated grain maturation, and the combination of phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizer lengthened the growing season. The highest production cost of 1 tonne of grain was in the plots that did not receive any amendments, and the lowest cost was in the treatment with use of plant growth stimulants together with micronutrient fertilizer. For the first time, optimization of the soil nutritional regime with consideration of the biological and phenological demands allowed for the balance of the plant nutrition and cost efficiency of grain production with direct sowing of winter wheat in dry conditions in South Kazakhstan.

Productivity of sugar beets and winter wheat depending on tillage systems and crop rotation protection

Purpose. Establish the impact of basic tillage and weed protection measures on soil density in winter wheat and sugar beet crops. Investigate the criteria for the formation of winter wheat and sugar beet productivity depending on weather conditions, measures of basic tillage and protection against weeds. Methods. Field, laboratory. Results. Soil density for the period of winter wheat harvesting for plowing to a depth of 20–22 cm and direct sowing was in the same range at the level of 1.22 and 1.23 g/cm3, which can be explained by the peculiarity of the soil and the root system of the plants themselves. In sugar beet crops, the combination of plowing to a depth of 25–27 cm with subsequent shelfless loosening at 34–36 cm makes it possible to maintain the density of the arable soil at the level of equilibrium for this type of soil. In other treatments, the soil density increases to 1.27 and 1.28 g/cm3, with compaction of the upper 0–10 cm layer of soil to 1.25 g/cm3 for plowing by 30–32 cm and 1.29 g/cm3 – for shelf-free loosening by 34–36 cm, which has a negative impact on the productivity of sugar beets. Conclusions. With the optimal sowing period for the conditions of Kyiv region on September 12–15, the most optimal sowing rate remains 4.5 million units. nas./ha, for increase in density of standing of plants we note lodging of plants and damp years and essential shortage of grain in arid. According to our research, the main tillage for winter wheat plowing by 20–22 cm remains the most rational for obtaining stable yields of winter wheat (yield was 5.03 t/ha). At the same time, good predecessors of peas for grain, rape, buckwheat can be used direct sowing with the introduction of herbicide continuous action Roundup, 48% v.r. 3.0 l/ha. The highest productivity of sugar beets was obtained by using the main tillage plowing by 25–27 cm + shelfless loosening by 34–36 cm yield of root crops at the level of 52.13–51.73 t/ha, sugar content – 14.80–14.83%, sugar harvest – 7.73–7.81 t/ha. On deep medium loam chernozems, this tillage allows to ensure optimal agrophysical indicators of the soil, remove the plow sole, earn crop residues and ensure yields in arid conditions. Application of sugar-free loosening to sugar beets to a depth of 34–36 cm reduces the yield of root crops by 5.32 and 7.20 t/ha compared to plowing to a depth of 30–32 cm, which is associated with an increase in weediness of crops and soil density.

Yield and quality of basil depending on the method of growing seedlings

It is shown and proved then the first and mass seedling emergence 2 days faster due to cell 4х4 and 2,5 × 2,5 cm compere to cell 6 х 6 cm. Growth period from transplanting to budding of plants grown from cells 2,5 × 2,5 cm was 19 days only. It was shortest and 4 days earlier compere to plants from cell 6 × 6 cm or direct sowing. Longest growth period from transplanting to budding of plants was 30 days due to cassettes with cells 2,5 × 2,5 cm. Plants from seedlings longer formed first yield. It was 44 days which was 7 days longer compere with direct sowing. The most active growth of foliage of the Basil plant observed before transplanting to open soil due to cells 6х6 cm. The leaves surface was high. Plants which grown in cassettes with cells 4х4 and 6х6 cm had better biometric data. It was indicated then with increasing of substrate volume seedling quality indicators increased as well. Most active process of leaf surface growth in basil plants took place, which were grown in cassettes with a cell volume of 6 × 6 cm and before planting it in open ground, the leaf surface area was high. Regardless of the time of sowing seeds and planting seedlings in the open ground, the best biometric indicators were plants grown in cassettes with a cell volume of 6×6 cm, that is, with increasing food area per plant and seedling quality indicators increased. The longest peduncle (10,1 cm) had plants of second term of transplanting due to cells 4×4 and 6х6 cm . Higher yield had plants grown from cells 4 × 4 and 6 × 6 cm. Their yield was from 24,6 to 27,2 t/ha. Yield increase according to control was from 0,6 to 2,2 t/ha. Lowest yield shown plants which were grown in cassettes with volume of cells 2,5 × 2,5 cm from 20,9 to 24,3 t/ha.

Transplanting and the addition of boron in sweet corn (Zea mays L. group saccharate) production

Introduction. Low seedbed temperatures at the planting and the direct sowing method can reduce the sweet corn germination. Transplanting may offer optimum environmental conditions for seed germination, early crop maturity, and increase sweet corn (Zea mays L. group saccharata) productivity. Boron deficiency depresses sweet corn yield through male sterility. Objective. To evaluate the effect of transplanting and the addition of boron in sweet corn production. Materials and methods. A field experiment was conducted from March 19 to June 20, 2020 at the Research Station of Horticulture Department and Landscape Gardening Architecture, University of Diyala, Baqubah, Iraq. Direct sowing and transplanting, and foliar application of boron at 0, 50, or 75 mg L-1 was evaluated to determine effects on the yield, the yield components, and water use efficiency of sweet corn cultivars: Roi Soleal, Seker misir, and Succar. Results. The cv. Seker Misir matured faster (57.5 days), had wider ears (4.53 cm), more kernel rows (16.0), the highest kernel yield (6.00 t ha-1), and a higher water use efficiency (WUE) (2.85 kg m-3). The cv. Succar had the longest ears (18.48 cm) and the heaviest fresh ears (251 g). Transplanting hastened the time to maturity (54.18 days), and produced the longest ears (17.91 cm), widest ears (4.52 cm), most kernel rows (15.96), heaviest fresh ears (229 g), the highest kernel yield (5.56 t ha-1), and the highest WUE (2.64 kg m-3). The 50 mg L-1 fertilizer treatment produced the longest ears (17.61 cm), widest ears (4.58 cm), more kernel rows (16.61), the highest kernel yield (5.64 t ha-1), and the highest WUE (2.68 kg m-3). The least time to maturity (57.72 days) and heaviest fresh ears (232 g) occurred with 75 mg L-1 of boron fertilizer. Conclusion. The use of 50 mg L-1 boron, as a foliar fertilizer, appears to be, next to the transplanting method, suitable for the cultivation of sweet corn plants to increase productivity and WUE.

Effect of Sowing Dates, Tillage and Establishment Methods on Growth and Yield of Mustard

This experiment was conducted at College Farm, Agricultural College, Polasa, Jagtial in Rabi, 2019-20. The experiment was laid out in strip-plot design with T1-Zero tillage with direct sowing, T2-Zero tillage with transplanting, T3-Conventional tillage with direct sowing and T4-Conventional tillage with transplanting in 4 horizontal strips and D1-15 November, D2-25 November and D3-5 December sowing dates in 3 vertical strips. Nursery was prepared 15 days earlier to sowing date for transplanting. Direct sowing and transplanting was carried out on same date. Among tillage practices with establishment methods, significantly the highest performance of growth parameters was obtained with T4 and lowest response under T1. Significantly higher values of growth parameters were recorded under early sowing date (15 November) followed by 25 November and lowest was registered on 5 December. The number of siliqua plant-1, seeds siliqua-1 was significantly higher under T4 which resulted in higher seed yield (754.38 kg ha-1), stover yield (1815.40 kg ha-1) and was comparable with T3. Higher number of siliqua per plant-1 and number of seeds per siliqua-1 resulting in higher seed yield (944.55 kg ha-1) and stover yield (1943.12 kg ha-1) were recordeed on 15 November followed by 25 November and lowest was registered on 5 December.

Treatments influence on soil water-physical indicators in Nizhneje Povolzhje dry-steppe zone conditions

The experiment is carried out in the conditions of semi-desert flat agricultural landscapes of light chestnut soils. The object of research is a 4-field crop rotation (factor A), variants of the main tillage (factor B) and crops superimposed on the tillage options with the Don-114 seeder (a seeder for direct sowing). The placement of options (A) is sequential and options (B) are arranged in blocks in three tiers. The main soil tillage was carried out by the following tools: mouldboard tillage to the depth of 25-27 cm by plough PN-4-35; non-mouldboard tillage to the depth of 25-27 cm by the tool OCHO-5-40 with the rack “Rancho”; surface one to the depth of 8-10 cm by the tool BDM-4.2, and 4-field grain-fallow crop It was found that a higher content of nutrients is in fallow preferably at non-mouldboard soil treatment, in some years, which has an optimal moisture supply, and control (mouldboard) one in comparison with lower levels of surface soil treatment in all years of the research. The main comparison in the change in nutrients in fallow fields is observed precisely for different methods of soil cultivation.

Weediness of oil flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) crops depending on the cultivation technologies and seed inoculation in the steppe Crimea

Weed control is one of the important issues that modern agriculture sets itself, especially in conditions of minimization of production. The purpose of the current study was to comparatively research the effect of direct sowing and the traditional cultivation technology of oil flax when treating seeds with a complex of microbial products on the weediness of agrophytocenosis. The study was carried out in the stationary trial of the FSBSI “Research Institute of agriculture in Crimea” in 2017-2019, in dry conditions of the steppe Crimean Peninsula, on southern low-humus blackearth (chernozem). Weediness of flax crops was estimated by a quantitative method with the determination of the varietal composition of weeds in the phase of full germination and before harvesting. In all variants, in the “herringbone” phase there was applied a tank mixture of herbicides Herbitox, VKR (MCPA 500 g/l) with a rate of 0.5 l/ha + Magnum, VDG (metsulfuron-methyl 600 g/kg) with a rate of 5 g/ha to fight against monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous weeds. There was found that for three years of study, the varietal composition of weeds differed insignificantly for both technologies, but their number under a direct sowing in the phase of full sprouting was in 1.6 times more than in the case with traditional technology. By the phase of full flax ripeness, the number of weeds decreased in 1.3 times using traditional technology and in 2.4 times under a direct sowing, and the difference between technologies was leveled. Seed inoculation had no significant effect on the weediness of the sowing. The conditions of the year had a significant effect on the weed component of the agrophytocenosis.

SEMEADURA DIRETA DE PATA-DE-VACA (Bauhinia ungulata L.) COM SEMENTES PRÉ-GERMINADAS PARA RESTAURAÇÃO FLORESTAL

Este estudo teve o objetivo de avaliar a estratégia de uso de sementes pré-germinadas de pata-de-vaca (Bauhinia ungulata L.) na semeadura direta para restauração florestal. Os tratamentos testados foram: T1= Plantio de mudas em tubetes (Testemunha); T2 = Semeadura direta sem pré-germinação; T3 = Semeadura direta com pré-germinação; T4 = Semeadura direta sem pré-germinação e hidrogel; e T5 = Semeadura direta com pré-germinação e hidrogel. O experimento foi instalado em blocos ao acaso com quatro repetições de 10 mudas ou pontos de sementes semeadas. Aos 100 e 210 dias de instalação do experimento foram feitas as seguintes avaliações: taxa de sobrevivência (Ts); altura total (Ht); diâmetro do colo (Dc); e número de folhas (Nf). A Ts e o crescimento morfológico de B. ungulata regeneradas pelo plantio de mudas não foram superadas pelas estratégias de semeaduras diretas utilizadas, mas a técnica demostrou ser promissora para futuros testes com outras espécies arbustivas e arbóreas de interesse à restauração florestal. Palavras-chave: área degradada; regeneração florestal; regeneração artificial. Direct seeding of pata-de-vaca (Bauhinia ungulata L.) with pre-germinated seeds for forest restoration ABSTRACT: This study aimed to evaluate the seed use strategy of using pre-germinated seeds of Bauhinia ungulata L. in direct sowing for forest restoration. The treatments tested were: T1 = Planting seedlings in tubes (Witness); T2 = Direct sowing without pre-germination; T3 = Direct sowing with pre-germination; T4 = Direct sowing without pre-germination and hydrogel; and T5 = Direct sowing with pre-germination and hydrogel. The experiment was installed in randomized blocks with four replications of 10 seedlings or points of seed sown. At 100 and 210 days after installation of the experiment, the following assessments were made: survival rate (Ts); total height (Ht); diameter (Dc); and number of leaves (Nf). The Ts and the morphological growth of B. ungulata regenerated by planting seedlings were not overcome by the direct seeding strategies used, but the technique proved to be promising for future tests with other shrub and tree species of interest to forest restoration. Keywords: degraded area; forest regeneration; artificial regeneration.