Anna Płaza

Cultivation of wheat following pea and triticale/pea mixtures increases yields and nitrogen content

Abstract An experiment was conducted in 2004–2007 at the University of Podlasie Zawady Experimental Station (52°06′N, 22°50′E), Siedlce, Poland, to examine the effect of either post-harvest residues or residues and straw of spring triticale (Triticale), field pea (Pisum sativum L.) and their mixtures containing the following proportions of both components: 75+25, 50+50, 25+75% on the subsequent crop of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). A field experiment was designed as split-blocks with three replicates. Residue mass, straw mass as well as N, P, K, Ca and Mg amounts were determined in the residues and straw. The residue amount of spring triticale was the greatest. N, Ca and Mg amounts in the residues of spring triticale/field pea mixtures were similar or higher whereas P and K amounts were similar or lower compared with spring triticale residues. Spring triticale straw contained less N, P, Ca and Mg than the straw of either field pea or spring triticale/field pea mixtures. Grain yield, yield components, N content and N uptake in the grain of winter wheat following field pea and spring triticale/field pea mixtures were significantly higher compared with winter wheat following spring triticale. Increasing proportions of field pea in mixtures with spring triticale cultivated as previous crops significantly increased winter wheat grain yields as well as N content and uptake. The residues of the previous crops combined with the straw significantly increased winter wheat grain yield, number of ears per m2, number of grains in an ear, thousand-grain weight and N content and uptake. The highest winter wheat grain yield and N uptake were determined following an application of residues and straw of field pea and 25+75% spring triticale/field pea mixture. The grain of winter wheat after field pea had the greatest N content.

The potato tuber content of microelements as affected by organic fertilisation and production system

The objective of the work was to determine the effect of undersown catch crops, which were either autumn-incorporated or left on the soil surface as mulch for spring incorporation, on the microelement content in the tubers of potato cultivated in the integrated and organic production system. Field research was conducted at the Zawady Experimental Farm owned by Siedlce University of Natural Sciences and Humanities, Poland (52° 03′ 39″ N, 22° 33′ 80″ E). The following two factors were examined in the study: (i) organic fertilisation, control, farmyard manure, serradella, westerwolds ryegrass, serradella applied as mulch and westerwolds ryegrass applied as mulch and (ii) production system, organic and integrated. Microelements (B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn) were determined in potato tubers samples. The tubers of potato manured with autumn-incorporated serradella had the highest iron and zinc contents, whereas tubers following autumn-incorporated serradella and spring-incorporated serradella mulch had the highest boron content. Manuring with undersown catch crops and farmyard manure contributed to a decline in the potato tuber content of copper and manganese. Potato cultivated in the integrated production system contained more copper, manganese and zinc, whereas organic tubers had more iron and boron.

The Influence of Intercrops Biomass and Barley Straw on Yield and Quality of Edible Potato Tubers

Potatoes destined for direct consumption should be distinguished by a high trade yield with the best qualities. (Leszynski, 2002; Boliglowa and Glen, 2003; Plaza and Ceglarek, 2009). In most European countries schemes for the verifiability of the potato product are introduced. The aim is to obtain good quality of potatoes, ensuring the reduction of harmful substances to human health and the natural environment (Spiertz et al., 1996). The beneficial effects of organic fertilization is noted here (Leszczynski, 2002; Boliglowa and Glen, 2003; Makaraviciute, 2003; Plaza et. al., 2009). Farmyard manure is a basic manure applied in potato cultivation (Batalin et.al., 1968; Kalembasa and Symanowicz, 1985; Rozrtopowicz, 1989). For many years its amount covered the demand, but now the situation has negatively affected due to the decline in livestock, especially cattle. Decreasing amount of farmyard manure, low profitability and the rationale for a system of integrated agriculture, tend to seek alternative, energy-efficient sources of biomass. As a result, a significant role is being attributed to green manures (Grze]kiewicz i Trawczynski, 1997; Zając, 1997; Ceglarek et. al., 1998; Karlsson-Strese et. al., 1998; Plaza i in., 2009). Green fertilizers were mentioned many times in literature. Batalin et. al. (1968), Roztropowicz (1989), Gruczek (1994), Dzienia and Szarek (2000) emphasize that the advantage of using this type of fertilization is high labor and energy saving in relation to its amount spent on works related to the application of farmyard manure. Estler (1991), Stopes et. al. (1995), Spiertz et. al. (1996), Karlsson-Strese et. al. (1998) and Songin (1998) show that the intercrops introduction into the cultivation is not only the production of biomass. They are also a kind of absorbent material to prevent leaching of nutrients into the deeper layers of soil and groundwater, which is important in protecting the agricultural environment. From manuscripts connected with green fertilizers it is clear that among catch crops, undersown crops seem to be the cheapest source of organic matter because it does not require any additional costs associated with the cultivation and preparation of the soil before sowing, which is particularly troublesome in the cultivation of stubble crops (Ceglarek et. al., 1998). Seed cost is also low. As undersown the legumes are recommended to cultivate. The Renaissance intercrops from legumes is linked to the multilateral noticing