APPLICATION OF MULCH COVER AS A KEY FACTOR OF IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF MINIMUM AND ZERO TILLAGE

It has been noted that minimum disturbance of soil structure and the application of thick mulch layer to the surface are very important for a stable and productive farming, while understanding that plant residues affect nutrient turnover in soil and its chemical properties is crucial for the optimization of the system. Thus, mulching of soil with vegetable or crop residue must be ensured for the longest time possible. In this regard, when developing moisture- and resource-saving technologies of crop growing based on minimum and zero tillage techniques, special attention should be given to the selection of crops capable of providing a high degree of soil coverage with plant residues. The main crops that come under cultivation on the dry lands of South-Eastern Kazakhstan include winter wheat and summer barley, yield of which averages 12 to 15 dt/ha. With such yield rate, there is only little amount of stubble and residue that remains after harvest which cannot ensure an efficient coverage of soil surface with plant residue to form mulch cover. In the course of our research, the following high-biomass short-rain crops adapted to dryland conditions have been proven to reach the green mass of 3,96 t/ha: sorghum, sudan grass and foxtail millet.