Aggregate analysis of dark chestnut soil in irrigated and rain-fed conditions

¹ Research Institute of Agriculture of Crimea, 150, Kievskaya str., Simferopol, 295043, Russian Federation
² Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, St. Petersburg, Russia
³ St. Petersburg State Agrarian University, St. Petersburg-Pushkin, Russia

^* Corresponding author: podovalovas@list.ru

Abstract

The soil aggregate composition is influenced by a large number of natural and anthropogenic factors, including irrigation. The question of the effect of irrigation with limited suitable waters on soil aggregate composition is insufficiently studied in the territory of the Russian Federation, although world experience indicates that prolonged use of low- and slightly saline waters entails an increase in the content of soil particles with size of less than 0.25 mm. According to the results of aggregate composition analysis the structural condition of dark chestnut soil in rain- fed conditions and in irrigation with limited suitable waters with similar agricultural techniques for cultivating crops was identified as good. The site–averaged content of soil particles with size of 0.25–10 mm in irrigated conditions was 67.8 %, and in rain-fed conditions – 63.9 %, and content of water resistant aggregates with size of more than 0.25 mm were 57.7 and 49.8 %, respectively.