Josef Hůla

Procedures of soil farming allowing reduction of compaction

Evaluation of new technologies using guidance systems is very important and can help producers with choosing the right equipment for their applications. Without using satellite navigation during field operations, there is a tendency for passes to overlap. That results in waste of fuel and pesticides, longer working times and also environmental damage. When utilising satellite guidance for field operations, there is a close connection with controlled traffic farming (CTF) as well. CTF is currently a quite quickly developing farming system based on fixed layout of machinery passes across a field. Tracks precisely set out for a machine’s tyres in the field could be a tool for minimising soil compaction risk which is another threat to the environment. The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the accuracy of currently available guidance systems for agricultural machines. Real pass-to-pass errors (omissions and overlaps) in a field were measured. Consequently, comparison between observed guidance systems was made regarding final working accuracy. Further, intensity of machinery passes, percentage of wheeled area and repeated passes in fields were monitored. These measurements were made in fields under real operating conditions using a conventional tillage system with ploughing and also a conservation tillage system, both systems with randomly organized traffic. Finally, the same parameters were monitored in fields where fixed machinery tracks were used for all operations and passes but only under a conservation tillage system. Pass-to-pass accuracy was measured for the evaluation of different guidance systems. Size of missed areas or overlaps was evaluated statistically. Concerning intensity of machinery passes and total field area affected by machinery passes, the following facts were found out. The experiments with randomized traffic showed a significant difference of the parameters mentioned above between a conventional tillage system with ploughing and a conservation tillage system. Wheeled area was 86 and 64%, respectively which proves benefits of conservation tillage. The experiments with a fixed track system showed that the total run-over area by machinery tyres decreased even more (up to 31%) in comparison to randomized traffic in a field (only fields under conservation tillage system were monitored and evaluated). The following statements based on our results can be made. The navigation and therefore possibility for better accuracy of machinery passes in fields together with permanent machinery tracks utilization could help with soil condition improvement and also energy savings which would result from that. The CTF system will help with further development of a system for soil compaction protection which is currently a real necessity.

SOIL TILLAGE FOCUSING ON THE REDUCTION OF WATER EROSION OF SOIL IN THE CULTIVATION OF SELECTED FIELD CROPS

Water erosion is a problem of global significance. Water erosion destroys or damages a vast expanse of usable agricultural land every year. Conditions in the Czech Republic are characterized by high average slope of the land. It is reported that approximately half of land in the Czech Republic is threatened by water erosion. Water erosion is a natural process that cannot be fully prevented. In case of agricultural land an important option is suitable tillage, which may reduce symptoms of water erosion. The problem of water erosion of agricultural land is growing in the Czech Republic, which is mainly caused by the growth of wide areas of crops (maize). This is due to expansion of biogas power plants using parts of maize silage. The aim of paper is to evaluate and assess the crop stand establishment in conditions of resistance to water erosion. For this purpose, a field experiment was set up. This experiment affects the most widely used methods of maize cultivation in Central Bohemia region. It consists of six variants of crops and technologies stand establishment and control treatment without vegetation. To determine the surface runoff and erosive wash was used measurement by runoff microplots. From processed measurement the positive impact of reduced tillage on soil resistance to water erosion results can be confirmed. The consequence is a reduction of surface runoff and especially erosive washes of soil. Impact of ground cover with organic matter is favorable, even in case of conventional tillage. The results of the experiment are directly applicable to agricultural practices. Results of the experiment were used for the legislative recommendations of appropriate technology (wide-row crops on slopes). Keywords: erosive wash, surface tillage methods, water runoff. Article DOI: http://doi.org/10.15544/RD.2015.015

SOIL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE SYSTEM WITH PERMANENT TRAFFIC LANES AFTER TWO YEARS OF ITS BEGINNING

In a field experiment on a plot of 10 ha in sugar beet production area physical soil properties and the soils ability to absorb water from rainfall were evaluated thereafter two years since the system of controlled crossings had been applied. Soil conditions: calcaric Leptosols soil type, loamy soil, slope of 2.0 to 4.2 degrees. Therefore the benefits of controlled crossings system to protect the soil from excessive compaction have been confirmed. Concentration of wheel tracks into permanent lines improved conditions for the movement of machinery on the field. Bearing capacity of soil increased in the areas of wheel tracks – penetration resistance of the surface soil layer in summer was 2.7 to 4.4 times higher in the parts of wheel tracks than in areas outside of tracks. In the parts of the area with random traffic penetration resistance was measured 1.9 times higher than in the parts without wheel tracks. Concentration of wheel tracks also contributed to improve the quality of soil tillage – the area without wheel tracks accounted for 68% of the land area when the working width of 6 m module was used. When measuring surface water runoff by rain simulator the water runoff occurred at 10.0 minutes, respectively at 11.6 minutes in the parts with wheel tracks, while in areas without wheel tracks the surface water runoff occurred after 29.6 minutes and the rate of water runoff was significantly lower in the parts without traffic than in the wheel tracks. Concentration of wheel tracks into permanent traffic lines may be one of the ways to increase the soil ability to absorb water during intense rainfall. Keywords: controlled traffic farming, soil physical properties, surface water runoff. Article DOI: http://doi.org/10.15544/RD.2015.006

Evaluation Of Soil Physical Properties In System With Permanent Traffic Lanes Practised In 10 Ha Field

Abstract The paper deals with basic soil physical properties as affected by wheel traffic. Agricultural land is, in varying degrees, exposed to the pressures exerted by running parts of tractors, harvesting machinery and transport equipment. Damaging the soil by compaction increases the energy efficiency, deteriorates the quality of tillage, may reduce crop yields and is associated with environmental risks that accompany water erosion. The selection of results from field trials demonstrates the positive effect of the reduction of level crossings on the results of physical and mechanical properties of the soil.