Journal of Ecological Engineering

Journal of Ecological Engineering 2022, 23(4), 128–136 Received: 2022.01.04

https://doi.org/10.12911/22998993/146334 Accepted: 2022.02.14
ISSN 2299–8993, License CC-BY 4.0 Published: 2022.03.01

Analysis of the State and Assessment of Possible Ways of

Preservation of Soil Fertility During its Mechanical Treatment

Volodymyr Bulgakov1, Iaroslav Gadzalo2, Semjons Ivanovs3*, Valerii Adamchuk4,

Viktor Kaminskyi2, Volodymyr Nadykto5, Janusz Nowak6
1
Department of Mechanics, National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, 15, Heroyiv
Oborony Str., Kyiv, 03041, Ukraine
2
National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, 9 Mykhailo Omelyanovych-Pavlenko Str., Kyiv, 01010, Ukraine
3
Faculty of Engineering, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, 2 Liela str., Jelgava, LV-3001, Latvia
4
Institute of Mechanics and Automation of Agricultural Production of NAAS, 11 Vokzalna Str., Glevakcha,
08631, Ukraine
5
Department of Machine-Using in Agriculture, Dmytro Motornyi Tavria State Agrotechnological University,
18, Khmelnytskiy Ave., Melitopol, 72310, Ukraine
6
Department of Operation of Machines and Management of Production Processes, University of Life Sciences
in Lublin, ul. Akademicka 13, Lublin, 20-950, Poland
* Corresponding author’s e-mail: semjons@apollo.lv

ABSTRACT
The issues of soil fertility preservation are relevant in all countries of the world. Concrete actions, technological
and organisational solutions allowing to overcome this complex and continuous phenomenon by using exclusively
agroengineering approaches are proposed. The preservation of the structure of agricultural soils requires urgent
adoption of technological and organisational decisions in the following areas: maximum limitation of immobilisa-
tion of nitrogen in the soil after introduction of organic residues into the soil; development of technological meth-
ods and tools for the soil cultivation, aimed at loosening the surface layer of the soil with a minimum area of its
contact with the airborne environment; improvement of the fundamentals of aggregation of agricultural machines,
taking into account the maximum permissible slipping of wheeled energy facilities at the level of 15%, and a con-
ceptual approach to their ballasting with respect to the requirements of the tire ecophilicity; application of a soil
structure indicator when determining the ploughing frequency by means of ploughs with skimmers or their two-
tier analogs; wide practical application of the controlled traffic farming system; adoption of a legislative document
on specific conformity of the land users for the level of soil fertility for agricultural purposes.

Keywords: soil fertility, humus, destruction, soil structure, mechanical treatment.

INTRODUCTION ability to provide the vital needs of plants in the

simultaneous and joint presence of two factors of
Investigations of the soil structure recovery their existence – moisture and nutrients (Williams
processes, being one of the most important indica- 2009). Such an ability is primarily determined by
tors of preservation of its fertility, are sometimes the structural condition of the soil environment. It
contradictory. The issues concerning preservation is known that this condition may have two forms:
of soil fertility have been dealt with great inter- lumpy (structural) and separately partial (struc-
est in the research literature (Barwicki et al. 2012; tureless) (Nugis et al. 2016; Kaminski, 2011). The
Šimanský et al. 2019; Novakovska et al. 2016). first of them is a more or less loose layer of lumps
According to the classical definition of the fa- with a diameter of 0.25 to 10 mm, formed with
mous soil scientist V. Williams, soil fertility is its the help of a special “cement”, which is humus.

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In contrast, in a structureless condition in- of the authors’ own theoretical and experimental
dividual soil particles, between which the cor- studies were used in the following areas: mechani-
relation is weakened, lie in a continuous mass cal and technological foundations of the ploughing
throughout the entire depth of the arable horizon. process, as a special method for restoring the struc-
The humus content here becomes catastrophically ture of the soil; determination of the maximum per-
small due to the active process of dehumification. missible slipping of the propellers of the wheeled
If the structure of the soil, formed by humus, tractors and their ballasting from the point of view
is the determining factor of its fertility, then it of preserving the soil structure; creation of a fam-
should be recognized that the minimum task of ily of wide-grip combined aggregates according
agriculture is to preserve, and the maximum is to the “push-pull” scheme; development of tech-
to improve this structure. For detailed acquain- nologies for growing crops using the “Controlled
tance with this, it is enough to refer to special traffic farming” (CTF) system; bases of legislative
publications by domestic scientists in the agro- responsibility of the land owners for their use.
nomic direction. In work (Balyuk et al. 2017) The limiting structure of the soil was assessed
there is information about the loss of humus by the relative amount of agronomically suitable
without a substantive analysis of the reasons for aggregates, which include lumps of soil with a di-
this process. If a certain consideration is given, ameter of 0.25 to 10.0 mm:
then it is aimed at drawing attention to the need
∑ 𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎
of solving the problem how to increase humus, 𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 = �∑ 𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀 (1)
𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜
rather than preserve it.
Recently, a negative or sceptical attitude to where: Kс – the soil structure index; Ма – the
the basic soil tillage by the mouldboard plough mass of the soil particles with a diameter
has been expressed to a greater or lesser extent of 0.25–10.0 ∙ 𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 М+о 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏– the mass of the
𝛿𝛿𝛿𝛿 = 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 mm;
in many published scientific works. Scientists and soil particles, the diameter of which is less
producers in many countries of the world system- than 0.25 mm and more than 10.0 mm.
atically assert that the technical and economic ex-
pediency and agrotechnical benefits of the mould- The process𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶of=determining
𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 ± 𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 the K index us-
с
board soil tillage using ploughs are minimal. In ing the “dry” method requires only three, one
this case, the main emphasis falls on the correct of which is solid (without holes), and the other
choice of the processing system. (Kartamyshev et two with holes of 0.25 and 10.0 mm in diameter
al. 2008) drew a conclusion that for the formation (Hakansson 2005; Nugis et al. 2016). The deci-
of a positive balance and expanded reproduction sion on the need for ploughing is made when the
of humus, it is only necessary to replace the main value of the coefficient and the soil structure is
moldboard tillage of the soil by its local presow- less than 0.67.
ing loosening with the introduction of a full dose At the same time the presence of a sieve with
of mineral fertilisers. a hole diameter of 0.25 mm significantly compli-
At the same time, as practice shows, even a cates the process of sifting the soil and obtaining
complete denial of moldboard tillage quite often reliable laboratory data. The situation could be
does not stop the decline in the soil fertility as radically changed for the better by the creation of
a result of constant loss of humus. This fact un- a modern electronic device, capable, in the “on-
ambiguously indicates incomplete knowledge of line” mode, at least in one plane, to estimate the
the farmers regarding the ways and nature of the quantity of the soil particles and aggregates, and
destruction of this organic matter. their geometrical dimensions.
The aim of the study was to analyse the pos- When determining the humus content in the
sible agroengineering ways of stopping the rapid soil, the basic provisions of the standard were
decline and further ensuring the conservation of used “Soils. Methods for laboratory determi-
humus in agricultural soils. nation of organic matter content” (Standard
GOST 23740-79).
The standard of Ukraine «Agricultural mobile
MATERIALS AND METHODS equipment. Standards for the impact of the
running systems upon the soil» (Standard DSTU
When preparing the work, a wide analysis of 4521: 2006) were employed to assess the impact
literary sources was carried out and the results of the running systems of tractors on the soil.

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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION the procedure of returning the organic matter

to the soil with the simultaneous application of
Over the past 30 years, the humus content mineral fertilisers should be carried out in two
in many black soils (“chernozem”) of Ukraine of their norms: the first – for the nutrition of
(where intensive farming is carried out) has the cultivated plants, and the second – for the
decreased by 30–35%. At the same time, the neg- nutrition of aerobic bacteria and other soil mi-
ative tendency towards a decrease in the humus croorganisms. The more fully these norms take
content persists. Soil scientists should widely into account the specific zonal soil and climatic
discuss this problem and make proposals for pre- features, the better. Any other methods of inhib-
serving soil fertility for future generations. iting the loss of humus biologically should be
The study of the deterioration of soil fertility due known not only to the scientists but also be in
to the loss of humus is a multifaceted problem that service of those who are directly involved in the
requires complex consideration. Currently, there are cultivation of agricultural crops.
three main ways of the loss (destruction) of humus: 2. The physico-chemical process of humus de-
1) biological; 2) physical and chemical; 3) mechani- struction is carried out as follows. According
cal. For exact understanding of the problem and to Williams (2009), all the atmospheric precip-
possible solutions, each of them will be analysed. itation that enters the soil includes ammonium
1. Normal plant nutrition requires decomposition salts, which are in a state of ionisation. A spe-
of the soil organic matter by aerobic bacteria cial place among these ions is occupied by the
into oxidised mineral forms, which contain all ammonium cation NH+4. It is the ammonium
the necessary elements. Thus, all the organic cation which, in contact with the surface layer
substances entering the zone of action of aer- of the soil, inevitably displaces the calcium
obes (including humus) are subject to system- cation Са++, present in that humus, and takes
atic and immediate destruction. Since humus is its place. This cationic substitution leads to the
synthesised mainly under anaerobic conditions, fact that humus gradually loses its cementation
its destruction occurs under aerobic conditions and adhesive properties. As already mentioned
on the surface of the soil lumps. The physical above, because of this soil phenomenon, the
essence of this phenomenon is that humus loses structure of the soil is gradually deteriorating,
its cementing and adhesive properties. Because which decomposes into dust-like particles.
of this, each lump of soil loses its strength, by Eventually, it becomes incapable (at least al-
slow, yet relentless disintegration into individu- most incapable) of reaching the required level
al dust particles. In the course of their accumu- of supply of the plants with food and moisture,
lation, they increasingly fill the gaps between that is, it loses fertility. Like the biological way,
the soil lumps and create conditions for which it is also impossible, in principle, to stop the
air and soil moisture become antagonists. As physico-chemical path of humus destruction.
a result, the surface layer of the soil gradually Apparently, only a certain slowdown of this
loses its structure, and, consequently, its fertil- process is possible. But how? A more or less
ity. If the process of decay of humus by biologi- exhaustive answer to this problematic ques-
cal means is fundamentally impossible to stop, tion should be given by the soil scientists. In
then it is probably possible to slow down the authors’ opinion, a certain positive solution of
course of this process in a certain way. Thus, for this issue is provided by cultivation of agricul-
example, simultaneously with the introduction tural crops using the “no-till” and “strip-till”
of the plant residues into the soil, additional technologies since the plant mulch, located
mineral (nitrogen) fertilizers should be applied on the soil in a certain way, limits the con-
at the rate of about 7–10 kg d. r. per ton. In this tact of NH+4 cations with the surface layer of
case, the fertilizers are needed not for plant nu- the soil. One of the options for the solution of
trition but to ensure the functioning of aerobic this problem may be a scientifically grounded
bacteria when they process the plant residues, systematic application of calcium-containing
wrapped in the soil. If this is not done, then fertilisers, yet with obligatory consideration of
the process of nitrogen immobilisation in the the presence of boron. Only under such con-
soil environment, known to the scientists and ditions assimilation of calcium by the soil-ab-
practitioners, will take place with all the ensu- sorbing complex will be efficient (Sokolova &
ing negative consequences. To preserve humus, Trofimov 2009). Under real conditions, such a

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measure is usually resorted to when it becomes of these requirements in practice? After all,
necessary to reduce the acidity of the soil. in their technical documentation the tractor
In this case, the state of its structure remains manufacturers do not provide to the operators
without attention, which is currently an unac- such extremely necessary information as the
ceptable fact. These methods of basic soil cul- specific pressure of the movers upon the soil
tivation that allow for the given loosening of in kPa. This is typical for all tractor builders
its lower (anaerobic) layer and minimum – of in the world. To a certain extent, they can be
the upper (aerobic) one, are promising. In this understood since the value of such an indicator
case, the surface area of the latter is significant- depends not only on the operating weight of
ly reduced, which is directly exposed to the ac- the means of energy but also on the air pressure
tion of ammonium cations. The development in the tires, their width and diameter, and most
of fundamentally new working bodies of the importantly, on the hardness of the soil and its
soil-cultivating tools for such a technological moisture content. That is, in each specific case
purpose should be one of the priority tasks of the use of a particular tractor, the specific pres-
agricultural engineers. When applying ammo- sure of its movers upon the soil will be differ-
nium fertilisers (ammonium sulfate (NH4)2SO4, ent. Finally, everything is complicated by the
ammonium chloride (NH4Cl), etc.), not all
problematic nature of measuring this indicator
cations are assimilated by the plants from the
under the field conditions (especially in terms
soil absorption complex. Part of these ions are
of determining the area of the supporting sur-
converted to a nitrate form. In addition, it is
face of the tractor movers).
quite probable that with excessive application
of ammonium fertilisers, a certain part of the Regardless of what was said above, there
ammonium cations will have a destructive ef- are ways of practical use of standard require-
fect in relation to the humus of the soil. Having ments (Standard DSTU 4521: 2006) concerning
in mind this careful determination of the dose the prevention of the soil overcompaction. First
of such fertilisers, it was, is and will remain a of all, when choosing a strategy for ballasting
very important aspect of the correct manage- the energy resources. Now, at practically all the
ment of field cultivation. One of them should exhibitional arrangements, one can see a line of
include the use of effective developments in modern tractors the frontally mounted mecha-
algology (Roncero-Ramos et al. 2019): the use nisms of which are equipped with metal ballasts.
of soil algae of the “Nostoc commune” type
Among the scientists, there is an incorrect, in au-
to convert the atmospheric molecular nitrogen
thors’ opinion, belief that, in principle, the source
into a nitrate form, accessible to the plants. The
of energy can be additionally loaded with bal-
same result can be achieved by applying non-
last, equal to its operating mass (Janulevičius &
moldboard tillage, in which soil algae are capa-
Giedra 2005). According to the proposed condi-
ble of developing their populations (especially
tions for the ecophilicity of a tractor tire, the level
in the autumn period).
3. The mechanical way of destruction of humus or amount of ballasting (Mb) of a wheeled source
has an exclusively subjective nature, primarily of energy should be determined taking into ac-
due to the technogenic human activity in the count two restrictions (Bulgakov et al. 2019). The
agricultural sector. In principle, this problem first of them is determined by the requirements
has been thoroughly enough investigated by of standard (Standard DSTU 4521: 2006) regard-
scientists (Hakansson 2005; Wojciechowski et ing the maximum permissible pressure (Qr) of the
al. 2020; Skrypchuk et al. 2020). In practice, tractor movers upon the soil under specific soil
in Ukraine, the requirements of the standard and climatic conditions. The second limitation
(Standard DSTU 4521: 2006) are rarely met represents the maximum carrying capacity of the
due to the lack of a methodological basis for tire Pw taking into account the vertical load Nek,
practical application. The latter, as it is known, which falls on its supporting area Fs (Fig. 1).
for specific soil and climatic conditions lim- As studies showed, when taking into account
its the pressure of the movers of the means certain synergy of these restrictions under specif-
of energy upon the soil in kPa at a level that ic soil conditions, ballasting of a wheeled tractor,
makes it impossible to deteriorate its structure not only with single but also with double tires,
and fertility. How can farmers take advantage can be limited and even impossible (!).

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it was found that the value of δmax in this case should

not exceed 15%. As the results of the experimental
studies (Fig. 2) show, the value of the soil structure
index kc = 0.51 is higher than the minimum permis-
sible value (0.4).
Further, we emphasize that modern wheeled
tractors for the most part have active wheel drive
of the front and rear axles, as well as high adhe-
sion properties of their tires. If the requirement
δmax < 15% is added to ∑ 𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 then a circumstance is
𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 = this, �∑ 𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀
obtained, according to which the
𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 dependence of
the slipping of the tractor movers (δ) upon its trac-
tive effort (Pkr) will be of a linear nature:
𝛿𝛿𝛿𝛿 = 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 ∙ 𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 + 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 (2)
Figure 1. A block diagram for the determination
of the possibility of ballasting the tractor, taking where a and b are definite constants.
into account the condition the tire ecophilicity
In a practical
𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 sense,
= 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 this means that in order
± 𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶
to assemble efficient machine and tractor ag-
Another direction of using standard (Standard gregates, the operators must have new, traction
DSTU 4521: 2006) is associated with slipping and dynamic characteristics of the wheeled trac-
(skidding) of the sources of energy, First of all, tors they use. To achieve such a result, scientists
of the wheeled ones. The fact is that the highest must convince the manufacturers or dealers of
traction indicators are achieved by such sources the means of energy who sell foreign samples to
of energy when the movers slip at the level of carry out a special cycle of field tests with them.
22–24% (Guskov et al., 2008). From the point of The obtained traction and dynamic character-
view of the impact upon the structure of the soil, istics of tractors in this case should represent
such a level of slipping of tractors is generally the modes of their operation, provided that the
unacceptable; this is quite understandable and movers slip not more than 15% of their correct
beyond any doubt. At the same time a question ballasting and reasonable traction operations
arises: what a more or less reasonable value of performed on the double tires.
this indicator is the maximum permissible? The machine-tractor aggregates, assembled
In order to find an answer to this important with this in mind, will be characterised by at
question, a methodological approach was intro- least a reduced impact upon the structure and fer-
duced, the essence of which is as follows: it does tility of the soil. This effect can be significantly
not matter for the destruction of the soil structure
in which direction – whether vertical or horizon-
tal – excessive deformation or shearing of its
layers is carried out. In addition, the pressure of
the tractor movers upon the soil in the horizontal
plane was considered as the ratio of the maximum
tangential wheel traction force to the area of the
side surface of the wheel lugs. the value of the
aforementioned parameter [Qr], defined by the
standard for use in the vertical plane (Nadykto et
al. 2015) was taken as the limiting factor.
This methodological technique allowed estab-
lishing such a maximum permissible value of slip-
ping of the movers of a wheeled tractor (δmax) at
which the cut of soil layers by its wheels is exclud-
ed altogether, and the deformation of the landslide
is limited by the permissible value of the parameter Figure 2. Dependence of the soil structure
[Qr]. According to the results of analytical studies, coefficient on slipping of a wheeled tractor

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enhanced, if combined machine-tractor aggre- implements in the required combination. The

gates are used instead of the traditional ones. disadvantages of such combined machine-trac-
According to the method of aggregation, the tor aggregates are a more complex frame de-
combined machine-tractor aggregates are divid- sign, concentration of the working bodies on it,
ed into three groups: 1) aggregates in which the which often complicates the maintenance of the
single-purpose machines/ implements are con- machine, increases the tendency of clogging the
nected in series with each other using couplings; working bodies with soil and plant residues, and
2) aggregates in which the means of energy is reduces operational reliability in comparison
aggregated with a machine that has a single with the single-purpose machines/tools.
frame on which permanent or replaceable work- The third scheme for assembling the combined
ing bodies can be fixed; 3) aggregates according machine-tractor aggregates is the most promis-
to the “push-pull” scheme, composed of several ing. The advantages of such aggregates are that
single-purpose machines/tools, some of which the mass and traction resistance of the frontally
are hung on the frontal, and the others – on the mounted sections of the machines or implements
rear mounted mechanisms of the means of en- increase the vertical load upon the front traction
ergy. The main advantage of the first method of wheels of the means of energy, increase their ad-
assembling a combined machine-tractor aggre- hesion to the soil and reduce towing. As a result,
gate is that the latter is completed from a serial the conditions for using the power of the means of
single-purpose machines, available on the farm energy improve due to the redistribution of loads
without their rebuilding or with minor changes. across its bridges, labour productivity increases,
Such combined machine-tractor aggregates, as and specific fuel costs are reduced. In many cases,
a rule, are cumbersome and metal-consuming. the metal consumption and the kinematic length
The single-pupose serial machines that are part of the aggregate are reduced, which leads to a de-
of these aggregates are usually designed to crease in the width of the headland and the non-
work independently with tractors at their opti- productive losses of time during the movement
mum load. Therefore, they often do not have the of the combined machine-tractor aggregate on it.
same working width and optimal working speed, However, to assemble combined machine-tractor
which makes it difficult to choose the optimal aggregates according to such a scheme, an energy
parameters of the composite combined aggre- device with a frontal hitch is required. It is quite
gate. The advantage of the combined aggregates desirable that it also have a front PTO shaft, a re-
of the second scheme is greater compactness and versible control post or reversible transmission,
lower metal consumption, which allows some of an engine with two power levels, etc. On the basis
the machines/tools to be made mounted or semi- of experimental tractors, a number of schemes of
mounted. In addition, it is possible to use the the new promising combined machine-tractor ag-
working bodies and sections of serial machines/ gregates were developed (Fig. 3).

Fig. 3. Experimental combined machine-tractor aggrgates; а) ploughing-

crushing, b) disk-chisel, c) ploughing-fertilising, d) reaper-peeler

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The schemes, parameters and modes of their On the basis of what was said above, it is
operation are substantiated on the basis of analy- difficult to deny that under the synergistic influ-
sis of many results of theoretical and experimen- ence of the above-mentioned biological, physico-
tal studies of prototypes (Ivanovs et al. 2018). The chemical and especially mechanical factors, the
results obtained indicate the prospects of using structure of the surface layer of the soil (in fact,
the new combined machine-tractor aggregates, it is 8–10 cm) gradually deteriorates over time.
operating according to the “push-pull” scheme The dust-like (destructured) particles after the
when solving the problem of reducing soil com- first sediments are cemented in high-density mac-
paction, increasing the technological versatility roaggregates. Loosening of the surface layer of
of the wheeled means of energy due to efficient the soil, applied in this case in practice, does not
application of their frontally mounted mecha- solve the problem.
nisms. It should be emphasised that in most for- The thing is that the soil porosity, signifi-
eign wheeled tractors, their frontal attachments cantly reduced because of compaction (less than
are equipped with metal ballast weights instead 50%), can be restored only by vital activity of the
of attachments/ implements. soil microorganisms. However, this requires ap-
At the same time, regardless of the used ma- propriate conditions and time. Ignorance of this
chine-tractor aggregate – traditional or combined prompts the developers of agricultural machines
– a significant part of the cultivated area of the and implements to equip them with unnecessary
field is compacted. Quite often, it is 2–4 times mechanisms for loosening the compacted soil
less than that which falls on the total area of the along the track of the tractor movers. In this case,
tracks from the passage through the field of the there is no useful result, and, accordingly, there is
means of energy as a part of a machine-tractor or an undesirable complication and rise in the cost of
the machine. To restore the strength of the struc-
combined machine-tractor aggregate. A principal
ture of the upper soil layer, it must be isolated
way out of this situation is the distribution of the
from the impact of the droplet-rare atmospheric
field area into technological and the transport ar-
water and air by moving into anaerobic conditions
eas. The first area is designed for the cultivation
to the place of the lower – structural one. The use
of agricultural crops, and therefore it is not at all
of soil mulching can help solve this problem, yet
influenced by the used movers of the means of
in part, because it requires creating a thick layer
energy. The second part of the field area, on the
of mulch. This is not always possible in practice.
contrary, is intended exclusively for moving the
The only tool that is capable of interchanging
running systems of tractors. Since it is not sown two layers of soil without mixing them (which is
with cultivated plants, it essentially drops out of fundamentally unacceptable!) is a plough. As it
technological circulation. Yet, this is fully com- is known, this arable tool turnsover the soil layer
pensated by the fact that, due to the absence of in two steps. First, the skimmer (or the plough
the soil compaction by the means of energy, the trashboard) throws the clods of the soil, broken
soil fertility of the technological zone of the field along the surfaces of the least resistance, to the
increases. In the long term, this compensation is bottom of the furrow, and then the main body of
complemented by real economic benefits. the plough covers these clods from above with a
In the world practice, this technology, lumpy (prestructured) mass. Since the loss of the
known as CTF (Controlled Traffic Farming), is soil structure by the upper layer and its restoration
quite efficiently implemented (Bulgakov et al. by the lower layer does not occur in a year, there
2021). The technologies for growing row crops really is no need for annual ploughing. However,
and grain crops, were developed using CTF. The a question arises how to determine the time of this
obtained results indicate that in this case the technological operation. A claim was put forward
process of compaction of the agricultural back- (Adamchuk et al. 2016) that the arable horizon
ground is under full technological control. In of the soil can be exploited without rotation until
general, this clearly contributes to the improve- its top layer (8–10 cm) reaches the required lim-
ment of soil fertility and, as a result, leads to an iting structure. It was underlined above that the
increase in crop yields. On the whole, this unam- interchange of two layers of the soil by means of
biguously contributes to the improvement of the a plough should exclude their mixing. Otherwise,
soil fertility and, as a result, leads to an increase the destructured soil layer will gradually dilute
in the agricultural crop yields. the lower structured one. in the course of time,

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 Journal of Ecological Engineering 2022, 23(4), 128–136

such a systematically carried out process will lead mechanism will make it possible for the entity
to an unsatisfactory structure (and hence fertility) to carry out a thorough and absolutely reasoned
of the entire arable (20–22 cm) horizon. analysis of possible risks before making a deci-
The authors are deeply convinced that reduc- sion on acquiring economic rights on the land.
ing the width of the skimmer is harmful, in gener-
al. On the contrary, it is possible (and even desir-
able) to use an equivalent working body instead. CONCLUSIONS
In practice, the design of such a tool is known
as a double-deck plough. Experimental stud- The process of preserving the structure of
ies of the operation of these arable implements agricultural soils requires urgent adoption of
over the years have revealed a number of techno- technological and organizational decisions in
logical advantages. First of all, this concerns the the direction of:
completeness of embedding of the plant residues • maximum limitation of immobilisation of the
of the agrotechnical background – for a two-tier soil nitrogen after embedding the organic resi-
plough, it is almost 100%. The use of these arable dues into it;
implements allows the tractor to be aggregated • systematic control of the supply of the soil-
with the right-side wheels into the furrow floor, absorption complex with calcium and the cor-
thereby reducing the specific fuel consumption responding microelements;
of the machine-tractor aggregate. If the currently
• development of technological methods and
indicated advantages of two-tier plows are little
tools for the soil cultivation, aimed at loosening
known to industrialists, then this is a direct flaw
the surface layer of the soil with a minimum area
on the part of agricultural engineers.
of its contact with the airborne environment;
In the end, regardless of the technological
• improvement of the fundamentals of aggre-
methods of humus preservation, without appro-
priate social and legal support they will not give a gation of agricultural machines/implements,
proper return. This includes the absence of a clear, taking into account the maximum permissible
unambiguous and specific mechanism of respon- slipping of the wheeled of the means of energy
sibility of the land user for the deterioration of the at the level of 15% and a conceptual approach
soil structure and its∑fertility. to their ballasting in accordance with the re-
𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 For example, it can quirements of ecological tires;
be as follows:𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾each
𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 = land area �∑ 𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀that𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜
is either leased
or owned by a land user must be certified for the • the use of the soil structure index in determin-
level of humus content in it as a potential indica- ing the ploughing frequency with ploughs
tor of the soil fertility. with skimmers or their two-tier analogs;
𝛿𝛿𝛿𝛿 = 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎characteristic
The quantitative ∙ 𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘𝑘 + 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏 of this indica- • wide practical application of the controlled
tor (CI) may be presented in the form of a confi- traffic farming system;
dence interval (%): • adoption of a legislative document on the spe-
𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 = 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 ± 𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 (3) cific conformity of the land users concerning
the soil fertility for agricultural purposes.
where: CZ – the average value of the humus level
on a certain land area; GZ – the limiting
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