COMPARISON OF MAIZE YIELD AND SOIL CHEMICAL PROPERTIES UNDER MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.) GROWN IN MONOCULTURE AND CROP ROTATION

Maize is one of the crop species that are increasingly grown in no-tillage systems. This approach is conducive better utilization of the agricultural production areas, which - as well as enabling farmers to obtain high yields - improves an overall organization of the agricultural production and its economic efficiency. The aim of this study was to evaluate the yield of maize grown for grain cultivated in monoculture with two methods of soil pre-sowing preparation, and to compare it to the yield achieved in crop rotation. Another aim was to determine the influence of cultivation simplifications on soil chemical properties.The results were derived from field experiments, which were carried out in two sites in Poland. The study showed that the lowest average maize yield was achieved in monoculture with direct sowing. The yields obtained in the monoculture tested in Baborowko were lower by approximately 17% than in the crop rotation system, while in Grabow the respective difference was about 27%. Grain yields in Baborowko were higher by about 33% compared to Grabow. Abandonment of the mechanical cultivation of maize grown in monoculture caused a decrease in the weight of cobs and in the number of grains per cob. The pH of the soil in which maize was grown was more acidic at the end than prior to the experiment, especially in the treatment with crop rotation. The content of P2O5 in the soil was higher after three years of maize cultivation in the direct sowing or full ploughing systems than before the beginning of the experiment, while a decrease in its concentration was recorded in soil cropped with maize grown in crop rotation. The total amount of nitrogen in the soil decreased regardless of the method of pre-sowing soil preparation. The humus content of soil under maize grown in monoculture with direct sowing or with full tillage did not change, while its amount increased in soil under maize grown in crop rotation with cereals.