Spatial distribution of soil moisture in spring in a slope agro-landscape

Abstract

The regularities of the spatial distribution of soil moisture in the soils of erosion-prone lands studied in order to optimize their use. Such regularities, in particular, are a necessary part of the scientific justification for the introduction of the technology of "precision farming" and energy saving into agricultural practice. The study carried out within the erosion-dangerous area of sloping arable land in the territory of the Kharkiv region. The soil is a chernozem typical heavy loamy. To characterize slope processes, the value of the topographic factor of the leading mathematical models of erosion was used, which was calculated as the product of the parameters of slope steepness S and slope length L on a digital map on a scale of 1: 10,000. The study showed that the moisture content in the soil in the spring completely depends on the dynamics of erosion processes. The regularities of the spatial distribution of fertility elements in the soils of erosion-prone lands established based on the results of field research and mathematical modeling. It shown that with the help of modern erosion models, it is possible to predict the regime of field soil moisture and moisture reserves on erosion-dangerous slope areas. It found that the type of main tillage does not have a significant effect on soil moisture accumulation, the level of moisture availability of typical chernozem in the most important period — the sowing period — depends, first, on the depth of main tillage. A tendency to increase the moisture content observed in the variant with traditional plowing with a shelf plow. The obtained materials, results and research conclusions can be used to improve the methods of creating modern sustainable land uses, scientific substantiation of the rational use of lands with agronomically unfavorable properties in agricultural production, and for the preparation of a plan of anti-erosion measures by land management organizations.