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Tillage System as a Practice Affecting the Quality of Soils and Its Sustainable Management

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  • Joanna Lemanowicz

    (Department of Biogeochemistry, Soil Science and Irrigation and Drainage, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology in Bydgoszcz, 6/8 Bernardyńska Street, 85-029 Bydgoszcz, Poland)

  • Erika Balontayová

    (Institute of Agronomic Sciences, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2 St., 949 76 Nitra, Slovakia)

  • Bożena Dębska

    (Department of Biogeochemistry, Soil Science and Irrigation and Drainage, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology in Bydgoszcz, 6/8 Bernardyńska Street, 85-029 Bydgoszcz, Poland)

  • Agata Bartkowiak

    (Department of Biogeochemistry, Soil Science and Irrigation and Drainage, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology in Bydgoszcz, 6/8 Bernardyńska Street, 85-029 Bydgoszcz, Poland)

  • Piotr Wasilewski

    (Department of Agronomy and Food Processing, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology in Bydgoszcz, 7 Prof. S. Kaliskiego Street, 85-796 Bydgoszcz, Poland)

Abstract

Sustainable soil management through the use of an appropriate tillage system can positively change the edaphic parameters. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects that reduced tillage (RT) and conventional tillage (CT) systems have on changes in selected physical and chemical properties and enzymatic activity in various soil types. The study included the following soil types: Eutric Fluvisol , Mollic Fluvisol , Haplic Chernozem , Haplic Luvisol , Eutric Regosol , Eutric Gleysol , and Stagnic Planosol . Soil samples were collected in the Danubian Lowland and Eastern Slovak Lowland. The following parameters were determined in the soil samples: soil texture, pH, hydrolytic acidity and the sum of basic exchangeable cations, the contents of carbon (TOC), nitrogen (TN), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and the activities of dehydrogenases (DEH), catalase (CAT), peroxidases (PER), alkaline phosphatase (AlP), acid phosphatase (AcP), proteases, and β -glucosidase (BG). The reaction of the analysed soils, in the RT and CT cultivations alike, ranged from acidic to neutral, and the sorption properties differed between individual soil types. The TOC ranged from 16.53 to 42.07 g kg −1 for conventional cultivation and from 15.51 to 38.90 g kg −1 for reduced tillage. The values of enzymatic soil quality indices values correlated with TOC, DOC, and TN, as well as with pH, the sum of exchangeable base cations, cation exchange capacity, and degree of base saturation of the sorption complex. The tillage system determined changes in the activity of the studied enzymes, but the intensity and direction of these changes depended on the soil type. Based on the enzyme activity results, soil quality indices such as GMea and TEI were calculated. TEI proved to be a more sensitive indicator than GMea. It was shown that, of all studied soil types and regardless of the cultivation system, Eutric Gleyosols had the most variable properties. For conventional tillage, Haplic Luvisol and Eutric Regosol were characterised by the greatest uniformity. In general, the edaphic properties of soils under conventional tillage differed from those of soils under simplified tillage.

Suggested Citation

  • Joanna Lemanowicz & Erika Balontayová & Bożena Dębska & Agata Bartkowiak & Piotr Wasilewski, 2025. "Tillage System as a Practice Affecting the Quality of Soils and Its Sustainable Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-18, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:7:p:2867-:d:1619155
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Erika Tobiašová & Joanna Lemanowicz & Bożena Dębska & Martina Kunkelová & Juraj Sakáč, 2023. "Suitability of Various Parameters for the Determination of the Condition of Soil Structure with Dependence to the Quantity and Quality of Soil Organic Matter," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-20, July.
    2. Iwona Jaskulska & Joanna Lemanowicz & Bożena Dębska & Dariusz Jaskulski & Barbara Breza-Boruta, 2023. "Changes in Soil Organic Matter and Biological Parameters as a Result of Long-Term Strip-Till Cultivation," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-19, November.
    3. Erika Tobiašová & Joanna Lemanowicz & Bożena Dębska & Martina Kunkelová & Juraj Sakáč, 2023. "The Effect of Reduced and Conventional Tillage Systems on Soil Aggregates and Organic Carbon Parameters of Different Soil Types," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-12, March.
    4. Mohamed Allam & Emanuele Radicetti & Verdiana Petroselli & Roberto Mancinelli, 2021. "Meta-Analysis Approach to Assess the Effects of Soil Tillage and Fertilization Source under Different Cropping Systems," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-16, August.
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