107(3)_str28

ISSN 1392-3196 / e-ISSN 2335-8947
Zemdirbyste-Agriculture, vol. 107, No. 3 (2020), p. 217–226
DOI 10.13080/z-a.2020.107.028

Effect of catch crop, straw management and fertilisation on the productivity of field pea and winter wheat crop sequence

Ausra ARLAUSKIENE, Jurgita CESEVICIENE, Alvyra SLEPETIENE

Abstract

The present study aimed to determine the effect of catch crop, straw management and mineral fertilisation on the grain yield and chemical composition of field pea (Pisum sativum L.) and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on a clay loam (Endocalcari Endohypogleyic Cambisol) (siltic, drainic). The following crop sequence was studied: spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) + white mustard (Sinapis alba L.) as a catch crop or without it → semi leafless field pea → winter wheat. The following management practices were applied: the straw of barley was either removed from the field or retained (chopped and spread); white mustard as a catch crop was incorporated into the soil. Different fertilisation levels were investigated: unfertilised, sustainable and intensive. The retention of barley straw (+N₃₀) resulted in significantly higher soil mineral nitrogen (SMN) content (on average 13.8%) in spring. Negative significant interaction of white mustard cultivation and fertilisation on SMN content in the soil was determined. The decrease in SMN and N-NO₃ resulted in better formation of pea yield components and grain yield. The highest crude protein content was detected in the pea grain, when white mustard mass had been incorporated into the soil and barley straw had been removed from the field. During the second year, white mustard cultivation, straw application as fertiliser and mineral fertilisation had a significant positive effect on SMN content. Winter wheat grain yield was significantly increased by white mustard cultivation (on average 4.9%) and mineral fertilisation (sustainable fertilisation – 55.3%, intensive fertilisation – 64.5%). Increased fertilisation intensity gave an increase in winter wheat grain crude protein content but smaller amounts of PK in grain. The retention of straw resulted in significant increase in grain crude protein content in sustainable fertilisation treatments, but in decrease in grain PK content in all fertilisation treatments. A positive effect of white mustard was found on grain phosphorus (P) accumulation but negative effect on grain potassium (K) accumulation.

Key words: protein and PK content of grains, soil mineral N, white mustard, yield components, yield.

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