THE INFLUENCE OF PRE-CROPS ON SOIL PROPERTIES IN WINTER RYE AGROCENOSIS IN VARIOUS CROP ROTATIONS

Abstract

 The field experiment was conducted in 2024 and 2025 at the Vytautas Magnus University Agricultural Academy Experimental Station, in the crop rotation collection of the Department of Agroecosystems and Soil Sciences. The soil of the experiment is Hapli-Epihypogleyic Luvisol. The aim of the study is to determine the influence of different pre-crops on soil properties in the winter rye agrocenosis in various crop rotations. Experiment treatments: crop rotations: 1) rye monocrop (settled since 1967), 2) three-course, 3) for green manure, 4) intensive, 5) field without row crops 6) field with row crops. The significantly highest contents of organic carbon (from 1.7 to 2.0 times), total nitrogen (from 1.1 to 1.9 times), available phosphorus (from 1.3 to 2.6 times) and available potassium (from 1.5 to 3.8 times) were determined in the soil when growing winter rye in a field with row crops crop rotation after a pre-crop of perennial grasses II year of use. In a field with row crops crop rotation in which the rye pre-crop was a perennial grass II year of use, the number of earthworms in the soil was significantly 2.9 to 3.7 times higher compared to intensive and for green manure crop rotations, and the earthworm biomass was significantly 2.1 to 8.1 times higher compared to rye monocrop and other crop rotations.