Adaptive Cultivation System as a Factor That Increases the Fertility and Productivity of Marginal Soils

Adolfs Rucins (), Volodymyr Bulgakov, Dainis Viesturs, Olexander Demydenko, Mycola Tkachenko, Mykhailo Ptashnik and Oleh Chernysh
Additional contact information
Adolfs Rucins: Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, 2, Liela Str., LV–3001 Jelgava, Latvia
Volodymyr Bulgakov: Faculty of Design and Engineering, National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, 15, Heroyiv Oborony Str., UA–03041 Kyiv, Ukraine
Dainis Viesturs: Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, 2, Liela Str., LV–3001 Jelgava, Latvia
Olexander Demydenko: Cherkasy State the Agricultural Experimental Station of National Scientific Center, Institute of Agriculture of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, 13, Dokuchaeva Str., Kholodnyanske Village, Cherkasy District, UA–20731 Cherkasy, Ukraine
Mycola Tkachenko: Department of Agro-Soil Science and Soil Microbiology, National Scientific Center, Institute of Agriculture of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, 2–b, Mashynobudivinikiv Str., Chabany vil., Fastiv Dist., UA–08162 Kyiv, Ukraine
Mykhailo Ptashnik: Department of Agro-Soil Science and Soil Microbiology, National Scientific Center, Institute of Agriculture of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, 2–b, Mashynobudivinikiv Str., Chabany vil., Fastiv Dist., UA–08162 Kyiv, Ukraine
Oleh Chernysh: Faculty of Design and Engineering, National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, 15, Heroyiv Oborony Str., UA–03041 Kyiv, Ukraine

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 22, 1-20

Abstract: Modern agricultural production faces challenges, caused by soil degradation, declining natural fertility, and a lack of organic matter and productive moisture in the arable layer, which is especially relevant in the context of global climate change and rising prices for fuel and lubricants, mineral fertilizers, and plant protection products. Five tillage systems (moldboard, flat-cut, adaptive, shallow and surface) and three fertilization options (no fertilization, by-product, by product + N 65 P 60 K 70 ) were tested. The combination of adaptive cultivation and organic-mineral fertilization resulted in the highest input of crop by-products (up to 1.26 g cm⁻³), elevated humus reserves (69.2 t ha⁻¹ in the 0–40 cm layer), reduced bulk density in the root zone (down to 1.26 g cm⁻³), improved soil moisture conditions, and, consequently, the highest grain yield—4.34 t ha⁻¹, which is 7.4–21.4% higher than in other treatments. The use of adaptive cultivation with differentiation of the depth and type of loosening allowed the humus reserve to be increased to 66.4 t ha –1 , the productive moisture in the 0–40 cm layer to reach 86 mm, and ensured an increase in the yield of the grain units to 4.34 t ha –1 . The obtained results prove the validity of the efficient integration of the plant biomass on light-textured soils with low physicochemical parameters and humus content as a renewable resource in sustainable agriculture technologies, especially in conditions of climate instability and the rising costs of the resources.

Keywords: adaptive system of cultivation; disk tillage system; humus reserves; grain units; productive moisture; crop residues; soil carbon; sustainable intensification; adaptive soil cultivation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/22/10038/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/22/10038/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:22:p:10038-:d:1791442

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().