The Effect of No-Till Technology on the Mineral Nitrogen Content in the Lower Don Chernozem

Abstract

The paper presents the results of a five-year study of the impact of various agricultural technologies (No-till, minimum and traditional using moldboard ploughing) on the content of mineral nitrogen in Haplic Chernozem in southern zone of Rostov Region. It has been revealed that the content of ammonium and nitrate nitrogen in the winter wheat areas cultivated by various agricultural technologies does not significantly change in samples collected both in spring and in summer. However, the content of nitrate nitrogen under resource-saving technologies (both minimum and No-till) has been higher than under ploughing throughout the whole period of study. The trend identified has not been mathematically confirmed. Nevertheless, the impact of No-till technology on the intensity of ammonification and nitrification should not be unequivocally denied, since a significant amount of mineral nitrogen is extracted by crops, and their crop yields under minimum and zero tillage was higher, than when ploughing was applied.