Features of soybean cultivation using No-till technology

Abstract

The article summarizes modern scientific approaches and production experience regarding the features of soybean cultivation using No-till technology in the conditions of Ukraine and the leading soybean regions of the world. The relevance of the study is due to the need to adapt soybean production technologies to the unstable hydrothermal regime, soil moisture deficit, increasing cost of material and technical resources and the need to preserve soil fertility. The aim of the work was to analyze the features of the No-till system in soybean cultivation, assess its impact on the soil water regime, crop productivity and resource conservation, as well as determine the prospects for applying the technology in the conditions of the Right- Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. In the course of the study, the main technological elements of No-till were analyzed, in particular, the rejection of mechanical tillage, the preservation of crop residues on the surface, direct seeding, fertilizer features and weed control system. It was established that an important advantage of the technology is the ability to retain soil moisture due to the mulching effect of plant residues. According to research in the Forest-Steppe zone, under No-till, the reserves of productive moisture in the meter layer of soil at the beginning of the growing season reached 159 mm against 147 mm under traditional cultivation, and at the end of the growing season – 40 and 32 mm, respectively. A comparison of production indicators confirmed the regional specificity of the technology’s effectiveness. In the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine, soybean yield under No-till was 2.84 t/ha, while under traditional cultivation – 3.10 t/ha. Despite a decrease in yield by 8.4%, the use of No-till provided savings in fuel and lubricants by 22 l/ha. In the USA, on the contrary, the soybean yield with No-till was 3.56 t/ha, which was 6.59% higher than the traditional technology (3.34 t/ha), with a saving of about 25 l/ha. Therefore, the efficiency of No-till is determined not only by the method of soil cultivation, but by the complex interaction of hydrothermal conditions, soil properties, crop rotation system, crop residue management, weed control and variety characteristics. For the conditions of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe, the technology has significant potential as a resource-saving and adaptive soybean production system, but requires regional technological adjustment to ensure stable crop productivity.