INFLUENCE OF SOIL TILLAGE UPON PRODUCTION AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN WHEAT AND MAIZE CROPS

Abstract

The experiment was placed on the chromic luvisol of the Moara Domnească Teaching Farm belonging to the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest. The soil tillage experimental variants were: a1 - ploughed at 20 cm in depth (control - conventional system); a2 - chisel ploughed at 20 cm in depth; a3 - chisel plough at 40 cm in depth; a4 - disking at 10 cm in depth (minimum tillage system). The biological material was Dropia in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L), sown at a density of 450 bg/m2 and the PO216 hybrid in maize (Zea mays L.) sown at a density of 6 bg/m2. Basic tillage was performed during the last decade of September. In the Ilfov area, the weather conditions for the 2014-2015 agicultural year were less favourable to agricultural crops, particulalry rainfalls. In winter wheat rainfalls recorded 410.7 mm between October 2014 and June 2015; however, during the vegetation time in maize (April-August) they were much under the multi-annual average, i.e. only 153 mm (48.5%), compared with 315.7 mm. Temperatures were higher than normal in the area, i.e. 1.3oC in winter wheat and 2oC in maize during the vegetation time. Grain production was highest in the 40 chisel variant (6,378 kg.ha-1) and in ploughed maize (4,521 kg.ha-1). The calculation of energy efficiency was based on the energy indicators: energy consumed (Ec), energie produced (Ep), net energy (En), energy report (ER). Energy indicators Ep and ER recorded higher values in minimum tillage, compared with the conventional system in winter crop and lower in maize crop.