Influence of direct seeding on the yield of agricultural cultures in the Rostov Region

Tillage technologies that promote resource conservation and increase crop yields, especially in conditions of dry climate, are increasingly being introduced into the Russian agriculture. However, taking into account a diversity of soil and climatic conditions in Russia, it is necessary to study the agro-ecological state of agro landscapes. In Russia, in recent years, an increase in the yield of winter wheat and sunflower has been observed. From 2014 to 2018 in production conditions in the Rostov Region, the effect of direct sowing technology (No-Till) on the yield of winter wheat and sunflower was studied. The yield of sunflower and winter wheat largely depended on the amount of precipitation during the critical growing season of each agricultural crop. In 2014-2017 the yield of winter wheat in agrocenoses using direct sowing technology increased by 26-114%, sunflower by 27-92% compared with the traditional technology. The authors show that direct seeding compared to traditional technology of dump plowing (traditional tillage) contributes to saving motor fuel, increasing crop yields and lowering the cost of the main crops of the Rostov Region: winter wheat and sunflower.