Analysis of the efficiency of soil conservation practices and measures for their flow-regulating ability
Purpose: to analyze the efficiency of formation of levels of soil cover protection from water and wind erosion on the territory of Rostov region using techniques, technologies, measures, from the simplest to those presented by various models of the modern system of adaptive landscape agriculture, to determine their quantitative characteristics for the surface runoff retention. Materials and methods. Based on the results of our own research on the territory of the Azov sloping plain (soils - ordinary chernozems, medium-eroded), the effectiveness of agrotechnical methods carried out without complicating technological operations, special agrotechnical methods, as well as their combination with other erosion-preventive methods and measures based on the adaptive landscape organization of the territory were analyzed. Results. Erosion-protective measures are divided into three levels. Agrotechnical techniques performed by mass-produced implement (the first level of protection) have a low flow-holding capacity. Special agrotechnical methods (the second level of protection) are also not highly effective: the layer of runoff they detain is limited to 15-25 mm, but their use is desirable, especially in the zone of insufficient and unstable moisture. The most effective is the combination of soil protection measures (the third level of protection). Over the 39-year period of research, with the complete placement of agricultural crops and agrophones, soil wash-off averaged 16.5 t/ha, with contour-strip in combination with special agrotechnical methods - 4.2 t/ha, with an increase of this option, by the flow-regulating forest belt - 1.1 t/ha, with the strenghening of the forest belt with the simplest hydro-technical structure (spoil-ditch), the runoff reached a minimum value (0.2 t/ha). Conclusions: according to the experimental data obtained, the interaction of techniques and measures can be used for a scientific based choice of a system of soil protection measures on an adaptive landscape basis.