Cultivation systems for winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and soil susceptibility to erosion

The purpose of the research was to check whether the reduced cultivation system reduces the risk of soil water erosion compared to traditional ploughing. One of the good parameters (indicators) to check is the examination of soil properties, mainly the content of readily dispersible clay (RDC), bulk density (BD), and soil water content (SWC). The soil organic carbon (SOC) content plays an important role in the soil erosion process. The field experiment on silt loamy soils was carried out for 12 years on an area of 1 ha, arranged as a random block with four repetitions, a total of eight plots per year. Two tillage systems were used: traditional (TT – inversion) and reduced (RT – without inversion). Fertiliser doses were the same for both cultivation systems. Analyses included determinations of the available forms of K, P, and Mg, as well as pH, SOC, SWC, BD, and RDC. The experimental results indicate that the soil under reduced RT cultivation was characterised by better chemical and physical properties compared to the soil under traditional TT cultivation. RT cultivation reduces the risk of soil erosion without reducing the yield of winter wheat. The 12-year study showed that, RT tillage reduces the risk of soil erosion without reducing winter wheat yields. Lower RDC values were determined under RT tillage, indicating a reduction in the content of easily dispersible clay, reducing the risk of soil erosion.