The Effects of Crops Together with Winter Cover Crops on the Content of Soil Water-Stable Aggregates in Organic Farming

The stability of the soil aggregates is an important quality indicator, as it affects soil’s overall functionality. As are highly affected by agricultural practices, essential to know how crops interact with aggregation process. Therefore, for obtaining more knowledge, this research was conducted in Estonia organic crop rotation field experiment from 2012/2013 through 2015/2016 study effects (potato → spring barley undersown red clover winter wheat pea) under different treatments (TC—control; TW—winter cover crops; TW+M—TW farmyard manure 40 Mg ha−1 per rotation). results showed that topsoil (5–10 cm), water-stable aggregate (WSA) content (determined wet sieving method) highest lowest following: pea (61.7%), (61.6%), (61.5%), (59.3%), potato (57.1%); whereas subsoil (30–35 cm): (50.6%), (48.5%), (47.9%), (47.7%), (46.4%). a noticeable crop, among crops, had WSA topsoil, while subsoil. shown gave assumption after-effects some (foremost were properties during following crop. In differences between significant just TW and TW+M treatments. TW, lower than wheat, but not significantly or clover. subsoil, observed TC treatments: TC, greater (but similar other crops), wheat. Furthermore, carbon (SOC) use generally increased SOC concurrently decreased maximum water holding capacity. This probably caused additional tillage operations which cancelled out possible benefits aggregates. consequence constantly declining content, weakened aggregates, plant-available P K contents, especially absence applications, well, due combination fixation removal plant biomass. expected continuing trend, growing conditions decline, turn will have negative effect formation sequestration, growth.