The influence of the way of field fallowing on the retention of water in heavy soil

Abstract

In 2004–2006 the experiment was conducted at the Experimental Station Bezek, belonging to the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, to investigate the influence of one-year arable land fallowing on water retention in the soil. Five ways of fallow cultivation were compared:  A – bare fallow, B – mechanical and herbicide fallow, C – herbicide fallow, D – green fodder fallow, E – green-manured fallow. During the research, moisture and volume density of the soil were determined in the layers 0–20, 20–40 and 40–60 cm. Measurements were done in the following terms: at the beginning of vegetation period, in full vegetation period and after finishing the fallowing. The achieved results were used to calculate water storage. It was stated that regardless of the way of field fallowing the least water was stored in the surface layer of the soil, whereas the most at the depth of 40–60 cm. On average, the most water was gathered under mechanical and herbicide fallow as well as herbicide fallow. The worst water conditions were observed in soil fallowing under green fallow, especially intended for green fodder.