Comparative assessment of fertilizer systems and intensification levels in crop production

This study is devoted to the comparative economic evaluation of different fertilization systems and intensification levels in the cultivation of agricultural crops on gray forest soils. Experimental work was carried out during three rotations of field crop rotation. The obtained results demonstrate that increasing the doses of mineral and organic fertilizers does not always lead to an increase in economic efficiency, and in some cases even reduces it. In particular, cost recovery decreased with increasing fertilizer doses on average in the crop rotation, except for potato crop, where the opposite trend was observed. Fertilizer systems including mineral nitrogen contributed to an increase in protein content in grain, but this did not ensure their superiority in terms of economic efficiency. On the basis of the obtained data, conclusions are drawn about the need for a differentiated approach to the choice of fertilizer systems and levels of intensification, taking into account specific agro-ecological conditions and features of crops grown. The results of the study can be useful for agricultural practitioners in selecting optimal agro-technologies.