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Implementation of minimalization techniques is an indirect measure resulting from ecological standards of the European Union for securing good agricultural and environmental conditions (GAEC) (ecological conditionality for direct payment obtaining also in condition of Slovak Republic). Soil tillage practices usually affect production and emission of nitrous oxide (N2O). The field study was conducted at the experimental site in Nitra region of Slovakia (lat. 48°19'00''; lon. 18°09'00'') during growing season (April-August) of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in 2012 on a long-term tillage field experiment initiated in 1994. The objective of this study was to compare two tillage methods (conventional tillage-CT and reduced tillage-RT) combined with unamended control (N0) and addition of nitrogen fertilizers (N1). Experiment was arranged in a split plot design with tillage as the main plots and fertilizer rates as the sub-plots with three replicates. N2O emission decreased in order CT>RT where cumulative N2O fluxes from CT with N0 treatment (3.85 kg N2O-N ha-1) were higher by 43% compared to the RT (2.69 kg N2O-N ha-1). Addition of nitrogen fertilizer decreased the mitigation effect of reduced tillage and cumulative N2O fluxes from CT with N1 treatment (3.92 kg N2O-N ha-1) were higher by 13% compared to the RT (3.48 kg N2O-N ha-1). Since the conventionally tilled soils were better aerated, the soil aeration and diffusivity might played the role in higher emissions from CT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research shows that biochar has the potential to improve the chemical, physical and biological properties of soils, which is also reflected in the crops. Because biochar is not a homogeneous material and it often needs to be activated to see its positive effects, it is very important to pay attention to its properties and subsequently to thoroughly verify it in agricultural practice. For this reason, experiments were carried out on two texture different soils (1. Dolná Streda: sandy soil, 2. Veľké Uľany: loamy soil), in order to verify the effectiveness of the biochar applied in two doses of 10 and 20 t ha-1 and its combination with other fertilizers: in sandy soil in combination with urea (U) in rate of 100 kg ha-1 and in loamy soil in combination with Italpollina organic fertilizer: (OF) in a dose of 850 kg ha-1 . In the sandy soil a statistically significant effect was recorded to increase the SOC content in the B20+U treatment. The application of biochar at both doses and in combination with additional organic fertilization significantly (P < 0.05) increased the SOC content by 26 and 34% compared to the control in the loamy soil. In sandy soil, we recorded a significant increase in soil pH in B10 and B20 by 0.30 and 0.29 pH units, respectively compared to control. In loamy soil, soil pH in B10 and B20 increased by 0.31 and 0.30 pH units, respectively compared to control. The soil sorption capacity was significantly improved in the case of sandy soil, while no significant changes in loamy soil were observed. A significant increase in sunflower seed crop yield (by 174%) was observed in variant B20+U. The highest yield of vegetable - peppers (72.6 t ha-1 ) grown in loamy soil was achieved after the application of a biochar 10 t ha-1 in combination with additional organic fertilization, whereas the application of a higher dose of biochar in combination with organic fertilization increased crop yield of peppers by 121% compared to control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The general objective of this thesis was to determine the effect of beef and chicken manure compost on the nutritional content of calcium and phosphorus in alfalfa; the research was of experimental design and applied type; The following results were obtained related to the physical-chemical characteristics of the compost based on bovine manure, temperature of 25°C, pH of 7.8 and the concentration of nitrogen (1.44%), phosphorus (0.57%) and potassium (1.80%), while for the chicken manure-based compost a temperature of 27°C, pH of 7.5 and a concentration of nitrogen (1.80%), phosphorus (1.05%) and potassium (1.24%) were obtained. Where it can be deduced that the compost based on chicken manure contains a higher concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus. Finally, the values obtained in the loam soil applying compost based on bovine manure were 3.97% calcium and 0.39% phosphorus and in the sandy soil 3.35% calcium and 0.37% phosphorus were obtained in alfalfa; Therefore, it is concluded that applying compost based on bovine manure, better results are obtained in sandy and loamy soil, increasing the nutritional content of calcium and phosphorus in alfalfa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soil conservative services–curve number (SCS-CN) method is one of the most fashionable methods among specialists and engineers for computing the direct runoff because of its simplicity, applicability, stability, and the capability to account for most of the hydrologist parameters that can affect the generation of runoff such as soil type, land use/land cover, hydrologic conditions of the soil, and antecedent moisture condition (AMC) in one parameter called curve number CN. Due to the huge development in the remote sensing (RS) and geographical information system (GIS) applications in the last years, this study aims to utilize this development to generate the curve number map for the Lesser Zab watershed in the north of Iraq. By providing Digital Elevation models (DEM) raster with 30 m and 12.5 m as spatial resolutions, soil data grid, and land use/land cover grid with 10 m resolution to be used in the geoprocessing, the goals of this study have been achieved using ArcMap 10.5, Arc Hydro, Geospatial Hydrologic Modeling Extension (HEC-GeoHMS), and HWSD Viewer software. The major soil types that have appeared in the study area are clayey soil and loamy soil which is the largest contributing type, the land use/land cover grid has six classes after reclassification, these are water surface, forest land, agricultural land, natural shrubs/scrub land, residential areas, and bare areas, but generally, the vegetation cover is the dominant land cover with about 90% of the watershed area. The resulted CN map revealed that the CN values ranging from 70 to 100 for the Lesser Zab watershed, the lower CN value refers to the lower potential of runoff while higher CN values refer to the higher potential of runoff. Finally, this study emphasizes that the CN values which have been extracted from both DEM rasters have not any significant difference, therefore the DEM with 30 m resolution is preferred due to the time-consuming geoprocessing of the DEM raster with 12.5 m resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact pile driving method is widely used for the reinforced concrete piles and metal tubular piles with a large weight. Pile driving is a dynamic process: the energy of heavy hammer impact on the pile head is transmitted through the pile shaft and pile toe to the surrounding soil, exciting vibrations of the soils particles and propagation further to the ground. Propagation distance is increasing with driving depth. Impact borned waves must be taken into account during construction work near existing buildings. In this paper the example of calculation the characteristcs of waves induces during impact driving of precast concrete piles into sandy soils are presented (analogically it may be clayey or loamy soil) [1, 2] Calculation is fulfilled using a dynamics block Plaxis 8v program, based on the finite element method. Using this program you can also refine the selection of a hammer by calculating a pile settlement from one impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the results of experimental study on the deformation and strength properties of clay soils during pressure injection of viscous-plastic mortars. On the basis of changes in the general modulus of deformation and shear characteristics, a significant improvement in the properties of waterlogged loamy soil was proved, empirical models are built. The high efficiency of the use of clay-cement mortars has been proven. In construction, one of the most common ways to the reinforcement of building's foundations are methods based on the use of injection piles (drill-injection piles, root-shaped piles, anchors, etc.). In the world and domestic practice, a great deal of practical experience has been accumulated in the use of drill-injection piles, and numerous recommendations have been developed. The technology of construction of drill-injection piles during the reconstruction of foundations is known and well-developed. However, the constantly changing engineering and geological conditions and growing loads, an increase in the pace of construction, a decrease in the cost of construction and installation work necessitate the improvement and further development of construction technology, methodology for designing parameters, and regulatory documents when creating drill-injection piles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrological process modeling is used to predict the contribution from rainfall-runoff, infiltration, groundwater recharge and evaporation. For this, information related to the interception and movement of water within the soils is needed which requires accurate soil hydraulic characteristics. However, field or laboratory measurements can't provide practical solutions for them. In this paper an indirect method, pedotransfer functions (PTFs), are searched in estimating the soil hydraulic characteristics for Kurukavak Basin. Root mean square error (RMSE) statistics is used to estimate the reliability and the accuracy of the used PTFs. Rosetta was used for prediction of hydraulic characteristics. The soil hydraulic properties obtained from Rosetta, the third level (H3). The field measurements showed good alignment with the derived retention curve using Rosetta H3 level for loamy soil. Then hydraulic properties are scaled to obtain representative values for saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and saturated volumetric water content (ès) over the basin. However larger coefficient of variation in saturated hydraulic conductivity for sandy clay loam indicates the difference between the simple mean and the scaled mean for this soil type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigations were carried out in the production fields of agricultural company Linas in Ringaudai eldership, Kaunas district. Spring wheat variety 'Koksa' was grown on non-damp, light loamy soil with a mobile phosphorus content of 173 mg kg-1 and a potassium content of 139 mg kg-1. Soil acidity - pH 6.9-7.0. The ozonator was attached on the trailing sprayer JARMET. During the studies, the concentration of ozone-saturated water and the spray rate were determined so as not to damage the crop, pollute the environment, or harm humans or animals. The speed of the sprayer was 6 km h-1. The application was performed 2 or 4 times. It was determined that treatment of spring wheat with ozonated water, although not always statistically significantly, however, reduced the occurrence of powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis), brown rust (Puccinia recondita), and inhibited the spread of aphids. A tendency for tan spot (Pyrenophora tritici repentis) and thrips decrease in the crop was observed. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of ozonated water application on the spread of spring wheat pests and leaf diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our field of scientific research is part of the Central Federal District of Russia. The population is 754,816 people; the share of urban population is 66.72%. On the territory of the Oryol region, there is 24,652 km2. Oryol is the administrative center, the whole region is divided into 24 districts, the region is located in the central part of the Central Russian Upland in the forest-steppe zone in the south-west of the European part of Russia. The climate of the Oryol region is moderately continental. In the area of the Oka River and its tributaries. In the eastern part of the region flows the river Sosna with tributaries. To the west of the city of Orel flows the river Nerussa and Navlya. The region is located in the zone of soil movement from sod-podzolic to predominantly leached and podzolized chernozemic soil [9]. In addition, there are various soil types from light gray forestic in the West and in the East and southeast to leached and typical black soil [12]. The industrial sectors of the region: mechanical engineering and this part of the industry branch makes up 30% of the total production, the food industry in the Oryol region is more than 25%, and the share of the construction industry is only 13% [1]. In addition to the city of Orel, where most of the enterprises are concentrated, there are separate factories that are located in the city of Livny and the city of Mtsensk, as well as in other small cities of the Oryol region [3]. The region’s ferrous metallurgy is only 7%, which began to develop in the region in the second half of the 20th century. The city is the Open Joint-Stock Company "Oryol Steel Rolling Plant", and in the city of Mtsensk there is an aluminum plant and a factory for the production of fasteners "Parallel". Experimental sites that were subjected to prolonged exposure to the slagheap of the Mtsensk Aluminum Casting Plant (MZAL) were selected as the object of study. The Zone of Continuous Observation (PPN) was published in the village of Bolshoye Dumchino at different distances from the object of land pollution, which is within a radius of 50 meters, 150 meters, 300 meters and 450 meters from the mountain with slag waste [6], [8], [11]. Landfills, samples of soil genetic horizons and mixed samples of humus horizons of experimental plots were laid on the studied sites. Soil: light gray forest, medium-loamy soil on loess-like loams [4]. To determine the level of influence and the nature of changes in the nature of the processes on the morbidity of the population of the Oryol region, statistical materials were used on the administrative districts of the Oryol region for a fifteen-year period. The incidence of respiratory diseases in general, diseases of the digestive system, diseases of the endocrine system, disorders of the musculoskeletal system and diseases of the circulatory system has been analyzed. It has to be establishing the relationship of morbidity and environmental stress, as well as to prepare a comprehensive map of territories, identified territories taken together of anthropogenic and man-made factors: 1) the intensity of the chemical load on the environment, which is determined by industrial enterprises and agricultural production [5]; 2) the level of soil radioactive contamination [10], [11]; 3) adverse changes in the hydrological regime of rivers [7], 4) the level of development of erosion processes by the method of M. Ya. Belotserkovsky, T. M. Belyakova, K. M. Berkovich [5]. For mapping of population, it is required to use official statistics and methods. This made it possible to compare the dynamics of morbidity in individual administrative regions of the region as a whole and in Russia, as well as to identify the periods when relative stabilization, decrease or increase in the morbidity of the population was observed [14]. Also managed to differentiate areas of the Oryol region on the incidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil erosion is one of the most critical environmental hazards that causes land degradation and water quality challenges. Specifically, this phenomenon has been linked, among other problems, to river sedimentation, groundwater pollution and flooding. This paper assesses the susceptibility of Orashi River Basin (ORB) to soil erosion for the purpose of erosion control measures. Located in the South Eastern part of Nigeria, the ORB which covers approximately 413.61 km² is currently experiencing one of the fastest population growth rate in the region. Analysis of the soil erosion susceptibility of the basin was based on four factors including; rainfall, Land use/Land cover change (LULC), slope and soil erodibility factor (k). The rainfall was assumed to be a constant and independent variable, slope and soil types were categorised into ten (10) classes each while the landuse was categorised into five classes. Weight was assigned to the classes based on the degree of susceptibility to erosion. An overlay of the four variables in a GIS environment was used to produce the basin susceptibility to soil erosion. This was based on the weight index of each factors. The LULC analysis revealed that built-up land use increased from 26.49 km² (6.4 %) in year 1980 to 79.24 km² (19.16 %) in 2015 at an average growth rate of 1.51 km² per annum while the light forest decreased from 336.41 km² (81.33 %) in 1980 to 280.82 km² (67.89 %) in 2015 at an average rate 1.59 km² per annum. The light forest was adjudged to have the highest land cover soil erosion susceptibility. The steepest slope ranges between 70 and 82°C (14.34% of the total land area) and was adjudged to have the highest soil susceptibility to erosion. The total area covered of the loamy soil is 112.37 km² (27.07 %) with erodibility of 0.7. In all, the overlay of all the variables revealed that 106.66 km² (25.70 %) and 164.80 km² (39.7 %) of the basin has a high and very high susceptibility to soil erosion. The over 50% high susceptibility of catchment has serious negative implications on the surface water in terms of water quality and downstream siltation with great consequences on biodiversity and ecosystem services including domestic and industrial usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During last decades there is growing interest about agroforestry and short rotation woody crops as source of raw material for green energy production. In the same time management of waste product utilization looking for a cheep and environmentally friendly methods for waste utilization on of them are recycling of plant nutrient to use stabilized and pre-treated waste products for fertilization of crops. Hybrid aspen clone 4 had been planted on loamy soil with fertilization in pit (depth 10-30 cm ) doses equivalent to 10 t ha-1 of waste water sludge, 3 t ha-1 of wood ash, mix of waste water sludge 5 t ha-1 and 1,5 t ha-1 wood ash and digestate 25 t ha-1. Preliminary results shows that fertilization increase growth of trees at a first season from 43 to 109% more comparing to control by relative tree initial height. Increment of trees mainly correlate with content of NO3 - at 10-30 cm depth. Negative correlation of exchangeable K found. No significant correlations with soil pH and increment of plants. Aim of study is to evaluate effect of plant nutrient containing fertilizers - waste water sludge (WWS), wood ash and digestate on hybrid aspen growth - increment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the growing world population, there is an increasing demand on agricultural production. Moreover, climate change and related changes in the environment force scientists to seek new solutions. This contribution presents the partial results of the field study conducted in experimental area of the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Slovakia where biochar as a potentially sustainable soil amendment was incorporated at different application rates (0, 10 and 20 t ha-1) in the loamy soil in Spring 2014. In 2015, the soil was either fertilized by ammonium nitrate at dosage of 160 kg ha-1 or left without fertilizing. To assess biochar impact on plant density development of corn (Zea mays), non-destructive method of taking digital imagery by conventional digital camera was used in 2015. In total, four imagery sessions were realized during the vegetation season in May-June 2015, during which 3 replicate images were taken on each plot per session. Images were processed in Breedpix software. Vegetation index was calculated according to the estimates of the amount of green pixels present in the image. By comparing the vegetation indices obtained for different dates it was possible to determine the percentage of the plant mass development according to the increasing amount of green pixels representing the plant bodies. Application of biochar at the end of the experiment resulted at 10 t ha-1 in increase of the plant vegetation index by 7 % when not fertilized, resp. by 11 % when fertilized, thus the biochar amendment improved the vegetative growth of corn, although this improvement was not significant. Estimating vegetation indices from digital imagery is a method easy to use, is repeatable on the same group of plants, but is limited only to early stages of vegetation season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a field experiment on a plot of 10 ha in sugar beet production area physical soil properties and the soil's ability to absorb water from rainfall were evaluated thereafter two years since the system of controlled crossings had been applied. Soil conditions: calcaric Leptosols soil type, loamy soil, slope of 2.0 to 4.2 degrees. Therefore the benefits of controlled crossings system to protect the soil from excessive compaction have been confirmed. Concentration of wheel tracks into permanent lines improved conditions for the movement of machinery on the field. Bearing capacity of soil increased in the areas of wheel tracks - penetration resistance of the surface soil layer in summer was 2.7 to 4.4 times higher in the parts of wheel tracks than in areas outside of tracks. In the parts of the area with random traffic penetration resistance was measured 1.9 times higher than in the parts without wheel tracks. Concentration of wheel tracks also contributed to improve the quality of soil tillage - the area without wheel tracks accounted for 68% of the land area when the working width of 6 m module was used. When measuring surface water runoff by rain simulator the water runoff occurred at 10.0 minutes, respectively at 11.6 minutes in the parts with wheel tracks, while in areas without wheel tracks the surface water runoff occurred after 29.6 minutes and the rate of water runoff was significantly lower in the parts without traffic than in the wheel tracks. Concentration of wheel tracks into permanent traffic lines may be one of the ways to increase the soil ability to absorb water during intense rainfall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop growth and yield often vary, not only between farms, but also at the sub-field level. These variations can stem from sub-field heterogeneities of soil and plant biophysical parameters. This means that soil and plant biophysical data can be used to predict intra-field crop growth and yield variability. This study used soil properties and vegetation indices (VIs) derived from unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery as predictor variables, and monthly measurements of crop height (cm) as a response variable to predict crop growth rate in two winter wheat farms in South Africa. These datasets were analyzed using two regression models including Gaussian process regression (GPR) and ensemble learning that uses least-squares boosting (LSboost) and bagging (Bag) in MATLAB. The results showed that soil properties, particularly Ca, Mg, K and clay, were more important than VIs in predicting actual crop growth. Furthermore, GPR (R2 = 0.68 to 0.75, RMSE = 15.85 to 18.38 cm) performed slightly better than LSboost-Bag-ER (R2 = 0.64 to 0.70 and RMSE = 17.26 to 19.34 cm) in predicting crop growth. These findings are useful for crop agronomic management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]