No abstract

No abstract

The total quantity of erosional drift on a Stagnic Luvisol on which six tillage methods were used was measured over 5 years of investigation. The texture of the tilled soil and the erosional drift for each trial method was recorded in the same plots. The results obtained suggested that erosional drift was generally richer in silt and clay particles. The standard deviations of coarse sand indicated that approximately the same quantity of coarse sand was found in plot soil and in erosional drift for all tillage methods. Sometimes more and sometimes fewer fine sand particles were found in erosional drift than in plot soil. In most cases, more silt particles were found in erosional drift than in plot soil. The standard deviation and coefficient of variation for clay and silt were higher in erosional drift than in plot soil for all methods. The highest content of clay particles was recorded in erosional drift from the no-tillage treatment in all investigation years. The results suggest that the correct choice of tillage method (no-tillage and ploughing across the slope) on a Stagnic Luvisol can protect the soil on a slope.

The conception of these investigations is based on the premise that a way should be found to eliminate, or at least mitigate, the harmful effect of excessive soil acidity without resorting to the massive and costly measures of liming. The main issue addressed in this study is how to increase crop yield by increasing nutrient availability rather than how to neutralize the soil. This as well as our earlier investigations, conducted on pseudogley of mesoelevations, indicate that this can be achieved by the application of special natural amendments (SNA) based on zeolite tuff, under the name Agrarvital (AV), in which clinoptilolite prevails while the remaining part is a mixture of soft lithothamnian limestone and dolomite (SLL+D). These amendments enhance ion exchange in the soil and their activation at a considerably lower pH than it is the case after liming. Fertilizing value of Agrarvital (AV) and lime materials (LM) was evaluated according to the yields achieved and some yield components of the crops grown. The results point to the good fertilizing effect of AV upon yields of winter wheat, maize, soybean and winter barley, equal to or better than the effect of conventional LM applied at several times higher rates.

In a 5-year stationary investigation at an experimental station in central Croatia, total amounts of erosional drift were measured on a Stagnic Luvisol on which six tillage methods were used. The chemical properties of the tilled soil and the erosional drift were recorded for each trial method in the same plots. A generally higher soil reaction value, higher organic matter content and larger amounts of available phosphorus and potassium were found in the majority of erosional drifts compared to plot soil. On black fallow, erosional drifts contained significantly larger amounts of organic matter, available phosphorus and potassium than in other treatments. Higher contents of organic matter, phosphorus and potassium were recorded in erosional drifts from spring crop cultivation than in those from cultivation of winter wheat, oil-seed rape and a consociation of summer barley and soybean. Also, higher losses of organic matter, phosphorus and potassium by erosional drift were recorded for the up ⁄ down the slope tillage methods than for no-tillage and tillage across the slope. This suggests that no-tillage and tillage across the slope can be recommended for this region, since these tillage methods conserve the soil and substantially reduce water pollution by chemical agents applied in agricultural production.