THE INFLUENCE OF WEED INFESTATION ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF WINTER RYE IN VARIOUS CROP ROTATIONS

Abstract

In the conducted experiment, the predominant soil was a deeply drained carbonatic shallow gleysolic cambisol (RDg8-k2) – (Endocalcari-Epihypogleyic Cambisol (sicco) (CMg-p-w-can)). The granulometric composition of the soil was loam on heavy clay, with a plough layer thickness of 20–25 cm. At the experiment site, the soil pH was closer to neutral, ranging between 6.6 and 7.0. The objective of the study was to determine the influence of weed proliferation on the productivity of winter rye in various crop rotations following different precrops. In the topsoil layer (0–15 cm) of the experimental site, the levels of mobile phosphorus ranged from 131 to 206,7 mg kg^-1, and mobile potassium ranged from 72.0 to 126,9 mg kg ^–1. The results obtained from the experiment indicate that in different winter rye crop rotations, compared with monoculture, there were fewer weeds, but there were no significant differences, with the exception of a single field in a three-field crop rotation, which also stood out in comparison with the monoculture. The mass of dry weed matter was the highest in the monoculture, yet it was insignificantly different compared with the other crop rotations. The experiment applied an optimal use of mineral fertilizers and crop maintenance, and the productivity of the winter rye monoculture did not differ and was similar when compared with other crop rotations.