Impact of Soil Tillage Practices on Disease Development in Winter Wheat

Winter wheat is a strategic food crop in many countries.This crop is susceptible to a wide range of pathogens that can cause yield losses of up to 50-100%.The most important element in obtaining a high-quality harvest is properly selected soil cultivation, since it directly ensures favorable water, nutrient, and thermal conditions, as well as good aeration.The aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of soil cultivation methods in winter wheat cultivation against fungal diseases.The research was conducted in the experimental fields of the Federal Research Center of Biological Plant Protection (FRCBPP) in Krasnodar, Russia, in 2022-2023.The experimental plots included two technologies -non-moldboard and moldboard tillage.The manifestation degree of the primary pathogens of leaf and root diseases of winter wheat was compared in experimental plots.The study revealed that the growth of phytopathogens on the nonmoldboard tillage plot was higher than on the moldboard one.Thus, in 2023, climatic conditions favored the growth of pathogens.As a result, the incidence of powdery mildew was 3.3 times higher, yellow spot -1.5 times, septoria -1.3 times, and root rot -1.2 times.The economic efficiency on the moldboard tillage plot was also higher, amounting to 6.45 t ha-1, whereas that on the non-moldboard tillage plot was 5.11 t ha -1 .In 2024, no apparent effect of soil cultivation methods on disease development was found in the experimental plots.This is due to weather conditions and low pathogen growth.However, the impact of cultivation on crop yield was clearly visible.The yield on the moldboard tillage plot was t ha-1; on the non-moldboard one -3.66t ha-1.We can conclude from this research stage that moldboard tillage has several advantages, including reducing the incidence of winter wheat diseases and increasing grain yield.