LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT EFFECT ON MAIN HEALTH INDICATORS OF A RETISOL IN WESTERN LITHUANIA

Danutė Karčauskienė; Regina Repšienė; Dalia Ambrazaitienė; Regina Skuodienė; Ieva Jokubauskaitė; Žilvinas Kryževičius; Monika Vilkienė

Danutė Karčauskienė Aleksandras Stulginskis University
Regina Repšienė Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry
Dalia Ambrazaitienė Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry
Regina Skuodienė Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry
Ieva Jokubauskaitė Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry
Žilvinas Kryževičius Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry
Monika Vilkienė Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry

Abstract

The paper presents achievements of long-term management practices on main health indicators of moraine loam Bathygleyic Dystric Glossic Retisol. The study site is Vėžaičiai Branch situated in Western Lithuania, eastern fringe of the coastal lowland (55°43´N, 21°27´E). The object of investigation is a naturally acid soil Bathygleyic Dystric Glossic Retisol (texture – moraine loam with a clay-sized particle content of 12-14%) and the same soil exposed for more than ten years to tillage of different intensity (deep and shallow ploughing and shallow tillage) and for half a century exposed to different periodic liming (0.5 rates every 7 years and 2.0 rates every 3-4 years) whose rates are calculated accoring to soil hydrolytic acidity and liming (1.0 rate every 5 years) in combination with famyard manure (40 and 60 t ha^-1). The obtained research findings suggest that soil pH, organic matter and water stable aggregates allow a quick improvement by proper liming and its combination with manuring. The intensive soil tillage (deep ploughing) disturbs some attributes associated with soil health - decreases organic carbon and deteriorates structure, while the less aggresive soil management was shallow soil tillage.