Adaptive Cultivation System as a Factor That Increases the Fertility and Productivity of Marginal Soils

Modern agricultural production faces challenges, caused by soil degradation, declining natural fertility, and a lack of organic matter and productive moisture in the arable layer, which is especially relevant in the context of global climate change and rising prices for fuel and lubricants, mineral fertilizers, and plant protection products. Five tillage systems (moldboard, flat-cut, adaptive, shallow and surface) and three fertilization options (no fertilization, by-product, by product + N 65 P 60 K 70 ) were tested. The combination of adaptive cultivation and organic-mineral fertilization resulted in the highest input of crop by-products (up to 1.26 g cm −3 ), elevated humus reserves (69.2 t ha −1 in the 0–40 cm layer), reduced bulk density in the root zone (down to 1.26 g cm −3 ), improved soil moisture conditions, and, consequently, the highest grain yield—4.34 t ha −1 , which is 7.4–21.4% higher than in other treatments. The use of adaptive cultivation with differentiation of the depth and type of loosening allowed the humus reserve to be increased to 66.4 t ha −1 , the productive moisture in the 0–40 cm layer to reach 86 mm, and ensured an increase in the yield of the grain units to 4.34 t ha −1 . The obtained results prove the validity of the efficient integration of the plant biomass on light-textured soils with low physicochemical parameters and humus content as a renewable resource in sustainable agriculture technologies, especially in conditions of climate instability and the rising costs of the resources.