Published in Scientific Papers. Series A. Agronomy, Vol. LXVI, Issue 1
Written by Vladyslava FOMENKO, Alla KAZIUTA
The study examined the composting of agricultural plant residues during the summer period of 2021 in typical chernozem soil. The mass of plant residues decreased during composting, with the use of a destructor resulting in a greater loss of plant material. Different rates of decomposition were observed for residues of different crops, and surface residues generally decomposed more rapidly than root residues. Changes in total humus content were also observed, with an increase in the humus content during composting of wheat and barley residues without a destructor. However, most variants with a destructor showed negative changes in the content of total humus. The study found that humification processes took place only in the version with winter wheat and spring barley, and the use of a destructor led to a decrease in the intensity of humification processes or to the passage of dehumification processes. Overall, the study highlights the importance of considering the impact of crop residues and the use of a destructor on soil quality and nutrient cycling.
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