Biological activity of soil under varying tillage and fertilization practices in short-rotation cropping systems

Authors

  • Oleksandr Tsyliuryk Department of Plant Science, Dnipro State Agrarian and Economic University, 49600 Dnipro, Ukraine Author
  • Oleksandr Mytsyk Department of General Agriculture and Soil Science, Dnipro State Agrarian and Economic University, 49600 Dnipro, Ukraine Author
  • Serhii Shevchenko Department of General Agriculture and Soil Science, Dnipro State Agrarian and Economic University, 49600 Dnipro, Ukraine Author https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1666-3672
  • Kateryna Derevenets-Shevchenko Laboratory of Plant Protection, State Enterprise Institute of Grain Crops of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, 49027 Dnipro, Ukraine Author
  • Andriy Kokhan Taras Shevchenko Luhansk National University, 36007 Poltava, Ukraine Author
  • Volodymyr Kozechko Department of General Agriculture and Soil Science, Dnipro State Agrarian and Economic University, 49600 Dnipro, Ukraine Author
  • Nataliіa Pryshedko Department of General Agriculture and Soil Science, Dnipro State Agrarian and Economic University, 49600 Dnipro, Ukraine Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61308/JAGC1046

Keywords:

crop rotation, soil, crop residues, tillage, fertilization, yield

Abstract

Soil biological activity is a derivative indicator, influenced by the specific features of crop rotation cultivation technologies, the presence of organic matter and plant residues in Chernozem, the compaction level of the arable layer, and the methods of primary tillage. The application of deep ploughing creates favourable conditions for the development of crop root systems through sufficient aeration and water-absorbing properties, thereby ensuring maximum biological activity across all crops in the rotation. This enhances the decomposition of residues and promotes intensive mineralisation processes. The use of various tillage systems (mouldboard, differentiated, shallow (mulching) in a five-field crop rotation demonstrates equivalent productivity outcomes, except for scenarios without the application of mineral fertilisers. In such cases, the shallow (mulching) system lags behind the differentiated and mouldboard systems by 5.5 - 7.6%. The application of mineral fertilisers in moderate doses significantly enhances (by 5.0 - 13.6%) the productivity of crop rotations, particularly under shallow (mulching) tillage systems, which operate under stricter initial conditions for plant mineral nutrition. In these systems, productivity increases exceed 14.0%.

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Published

29.10.2026

Issue

Vol. 32 No. 5 (2026): Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Science

Section

Agrochemisty and Soil Science

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How to Cite

Tsyliuryk, O., Mytsyk, O., Shevchenko, S., Derevenets-Shevchenko, K., Kokhan, A., Kozechko, V., & Pryshedko, N. (2026). Biological activity of soil under varying tillage and fertilization practices in short-rotation cropping systems. Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Science, 32(5), 1023-1031. https://doi.org/10.61308/JAGC1046