The effect of legumes and sunflower intercropping on soil compaction

Abstract

Soil compaction is important cause of its degradation that leads to decreased water and nutrient accessibility to plants. As a consequence, root growth is reduced, resulting in yield decrease. Cover crops and intercrops can have positive effects on soil compaction, but cropping management adaption is required. In sunflower production soil compaction is not frequently analyzed, but under the current and projected changes of climate more attention must be given to this problem. Therefore, the aim of this research was to assess the effect of intercropping of sunflower and legumes on soil compaction. Three different NS sunflower hybrids were intercropped with common vetch, red clover or alfalfa, whereas sole cropping of sunflower was control. Trial was set up at Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Rimski Šančevi, Serbia. Soil compaction was analyzed based on resistance to penetration of the penetrologger cone into the soil, and the soil water content (Vol%). Penetration resistance was determined using an Eijkelkamp Penetrologger up to 80 cm, and data processing was done with Penetroviewer 6.03 software. The lowest percentage of soil moisture, at depth up to 20 cm, was measured in alfalfa and sunflower intercrop (21.7%), and the highest on the control plot (26.8%), as a result of absence of intercropping system.