Influence of Soil Cultivation Technologies and Fertilisation on Productivity and Energy Production of Arable Crops

The influence of three soil tillage technologies and two fertilisation levels on a productivity of crops and biomass for energy use, expressed in yield, cereal units (CU), energy acquired and indicative price of energy per hectare was evaluated at the experimental fields of Research Institute of Plant Production in Piešťany during 2007-2009. The highest yield of dry matter has been identified for maize for silage 19.41 t/ha, followed by winter oilseed rape 15.77 t/ha, triticale 15.39 t/ha and winter wheat 14.08 t/ha. Conventional tillage created soil condition for higher yield of dry matter in an average 17.92 t/ha, followed by minimum soil tillage 16.27 t/ha and no-till-age technology 14.3 t/ha. Nitrogen-based fertilisation (N₁₂₀) has ensured a significantly higher yield of dry matter and a higher price of acquired energy €491.1 compared with €462.1 of zero-nitrogen fertilisation. The highest yield of cereal units has been identified for maize for silage 9.01 CU, followed by winter wheat 5.21 CU, triticale 4.70 CU and winter oilseed rape 4.55 CU. Energy of maize for silage has been calculated from biogas, winter oilseed rape from rape methyl ester, straw and crop residues, and for winter wheat and triticale from ethanol and straw. Average energy storage in plant biomass of crop rotation was 222.93 GJ/ha. The highest amount of energy acquired has been identified for winter oilseed rape 342.80 GJ/ha, followed by maize for silage with 236.99 GJ/ha, winter triticale 159.39 GJ/ha and winter wheat 152.52 GJ/ha.