Application of methods and approaches of farming biologization for evaluation of soil fertility and potential yield under the conditions of steppe and forest-steppe zones of the Altai Region

Abstract

This paper discusses the results of a comprehensive approach to the preparation of task maps for differentiated sowing and mineral fertilizer application in experimental fields on two farms of the Altai Region under different tillage systems (classical V-chisel tillage and No-Till system). The farms are located in the Aley River soil-climatic zone. The algorithm of map construction was prepared on the basis of monitoring of 2 year-long field studies. Agrochemical survey of the fields by soil sampling was carried out, and long-term data on the field crop yields were used. Spatial specificity of soil aggregate composition and its water holding capacity characterized by variability of fractional composition, coefficient of structure and content of water-holding aggregates was revealed. Certain dependence of layer-by-layer aggregate composition of soil on tillage methods and biology of cultivated crop was revealed. The variation of soil moisture by layers was high (11.4-25.3%) which was indicative of the high significance of the influence of soil fertility zones and autumn tillage methods on moisture accumulation and moisture distribution by layers in spring, and, as a consequence, on soil water regime during growing season and yield formation. The algorithms to identify soil fertility zones subject to differentiation of sowing rates and mineral fertilizer application rates were developed in accordance with the regional specifics.