Influence of soil cultivation and farm machinery passes on water preferential flow using brilliant blue dye tracer

J. Chyba*, M. Kroulík, J. Lev and F. Kumhála

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Engineering, Kamýcká129, Prague 6 – Suchdol, 16521, *Correspondence: chyba@tf.czu.cz

Abstract:

Objective of this study was the investigation of water preferential flow into the soilby brilliant blue dye tracer, under different soil tillage treatment and different soil compactioncaused by farm machinery passes. Brilliant blue dye tracer measurement was supported by coneindex measurement. Measurement was carried out on land divided into several options:a) controlled traffic farming (CTF) with loosening, b) CTF with deep loosening before plotestablishment, c) ploughing, d) ploughing with deep loosening before plot establishment. Forthe mentioned measurement options the measurements were performed inside and outside of thetrack lines of agricultural machinery. Representation of the brilliant blue dye tracer inside of thetrack lines significantly decreases at a depth of 5–10 cm for all variants. This trend is stabilisedbetween depths of 0.10 m to 0.4 m with colour coverage ranging between 10 and 20%. Aninteresting fact was that the colour coverage outside of the tracks without deep loosening beforeplot establishment was higher than measurement with deep loosening. The largest statisticallysignificant differences occurred at a depth of 0.3 m, while the most homogeneous groups (froma total of four groups) were found at depths of 0.05 to 0.1 m and 0.25 to 0.3 m. Cone indexmeasurement confirmed almost 100% increase in penetration resistance inside of traffic lines(2. MPa) in comparison with measurements outside of the traffic lines (1. MPa) in the range ofdepth from 0–0.16 m.

Key words:

cone index., dye tracer, infiltration, soil compaction, soil cultivation

Influence of Heracleum sosnowskyi control measures on weed diversity in agricultural fields in Latvia

I. Vanaga, J. Gurkina, O. Treikale, I. Priekule and J. Pugacova

Latvian Plant Protection Research Centre, Lielvardes iela 36/38, Riga, LV1006, Latvia;e-mail: ineta.vanaga@laapc.lv

Abstract:

Abstract: In a field infested with Heracleum sosnowskyi, plots were cultivated by disc harrow or ploughed in 2003 and then sown with one of two grass mixtures. Half of the grass plots were sprayed once with a herbicide containing MCPA, fluroxypyr and chlorpyralid; the other half were cut 3 times with a hand mower. In 2004 a similar trial was established after an early season application of glyphosate to control Elymus repens and the soil had been deep ploughed. The most effective control of H. sosnowskyi and E. repens was obtained by glyphosate application after spring regrowth followed by deep ploughing. This treatment did not adversely affect either numbers of dicotyledonous species or numbers of dicotyledonous plants that grew in the sown grass swards. Ploughing gave better control of H. sosnowskyi and E. repens than disc harrowing and provided better seedbeds for sward establishment. Ploughing also increased the numbers of dicotyledonous species and plants compared to disc harrowing. Chemical weed control reduced diversity and plant numbers, but weed control by cutting did not.

Key words: