Draganesti Vlasca, Romania

 Study Site Trials

 The SICS selected for trialling in this Study Site are described below:

General Treatment Category Study Site Trials
Tillage

1. Tillage experiments - Deep ploughing (30cm); Subsoiling (50 cm); Non-inversion till; 2 disk ploughing


Study Site poster 2018; Study Site poster 2019 (download)

 SICS 1:- Tillge experiments

 

 Establishing trial   Romania factsheet front cover1  

 

Establishing trial2

    

 

Key findings

  • Different tillage practices resulted in varying crop yields; for example, subsoiling (R1) resulted in the highest yields in y1 but the lowest in year 3. This was likely due to variation in weather between treatment years
  • Subsoiling and chiselling led to the highest increases in soil organic carbon levels, as were Kstat levels.
  • This experiment suggests that subsoiling is the most beneficial for resulting in soil structure improvements.
  • Subsoiling must, however, be carried out at the right time and only on soil types suited to this practice.
  • Conventional tillage can result in soil compaction so alternative practices should be explored.
  • A longer-term experiment is warranted to determine whether the fluctuations in crop yield persist over longer periods of time.

 

 

Geographical description

Location: The study site is located in the arable land of Draganesti Vlasca commune. Draganesti Vlasca is located within Burnas Plain in the eastern part of Teleorman county. (photos below).

Map Map2
Location of Draganesti Vlasca Study Site

Size Three villages are part of the commune: Draganesti Vlasca, Comoara and Vaceni. Draganesti Vlasca has an territorial administrative area of 10324 ha. The commune has 4852 citizens.

Elevation The territory of Draganesti Vlasca is covered by a plain with an altitude ranging between 85-95 m. The plain is fragmented by different valleys (Valea Alba, Valea Comoarei, Valea Valcenilor, Valea Hotoaicii and Valea Dumitranii), which are seasonally flooded.

Climate In the study area the climate is temperate continental. The yearly average air temperature is 10,6°C, the values ranging between – 3,5°C in January and 22,7°C in July, meaning that the winters are mild and the summers are cool. The droughty periods are in August and October continuing even into November, affecting negatively the autumn crops.

Soils The dominant soil in Draganesti Vlasca is phaeozem in different degradation stages, having a low fertility and in some areas at risk of erosion.

Geology In the upper part, there is a reddish brown silty clay layer, which stands on a loess layer of 7-8 m thickness.

Hydrology There are three rivers passing the commune: Calnistea, Valea Alba and Suhat. The total area of surface water bodies is 246 ha. The ground table level ranges between 1 – 4 m in the flood plain area and between 20 – 30 m in the plain area.

Land use types: The main agricultural activities practised in the area are related to crop and livestock production. The areas under different land use types are the following: arable – 8220 ha, pastures – 163 ha, forest – 1184 ha, vineyards – 97 ha, orchards – 5 ha, surface water bodies – 246 ha. 

Pedo-climatic zone
The study area is located in Panonnian pedo-climatic zone. The area is covered by a Phaeozem.

Cropping systems

Cropping intensity
Conventional and conservation agricultural systems are mainly used in the study area.

Cropping system Cropping system2
Impressions of the Study Site  

Types of crop
The common crop rotation used in the study area is: wheat, maize, sunflower.