Abstract:
This study was undertaken to investigate the effect
of long-term reduced tillage on
grain yield, grain quality, and weed infestation of
spring wheat. The experimental
variables were three tillage systems: (a) conventio
nal tillage (CT): shallow ploughing (10-
12 cm) and harrowing after harvest of the previous
crop, ploughing (25-30 cm) in the
autumn; (b) reduced tillage (RT): only a cultivator
(10-15 cm) used after harvest of the
previous crop; and (c) herbicide tillage (HT): only
using Roundup 360 SL after harvest of
the previous crop. In the spring, a cultivation set
consisting of a cultivator, a string roller,
and a harrow (10-12 cm) was used on all plots. Spri
ng wheat of Brawura cultivar was
cultivated after two types of previous crop: (1) pe
a, and (2) spring wheat. The yield of
wheat was higher in CT and RT systems, compared to
the HT system. Higher yields were
also obtained after pea than after spring wheat. Re
duced grain yield on the HT plots
resulted from a lower number of wheat plants per m
2
and their lower productivity than in
the CT and RT systems. The HT system reduced the gr
ain volume weight
and increased
ash content in the grain, compared to CT and RT sys
tems, whereas it had no effect on
protein and gluten contents in the grain. Greater w
eed infestation of spring wheat crop
occurred on HT and RT plots than on the CT plot.
Keywords
: Ash content, Gluten content, Grain protein, Tilla
ge systems.
