In today’s agriculture, maize is considered to be one of the major feed, food and industrial crops. Cultivation of maize by inappropriate agricultural practices and on unsuitable sites is connected with specific risks of soil degradation, mainly due to water erosion of the soil. The aim of this study was to evaluate the yielding parameters, fodder quality and anti-erosion efficiency of different methods of conservation tillage for maize in two areas (Jevíčko—JEV and Skoupý—SKO) with different climate and soil conditions in the Czech Republic in the period 2016–2018, using multivariate exploratory techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA) and factor analysis (FA). Four variants of soil tillage methods were analysed: Conventional Tillage (CT), two slightly different Strip-Till techniques (ST) and Direct Sowing (DS). The analysed parameters were: dry mass of the plants, height of the plants, starch content (SC), organic matter digestibility (OMD) and content of neutral detergent fibre (NDF), soil loss by erosion and surface runoff. The multivariate exploratory techniques PCA and FA significantly differed in two categories of techniques in both locations. The first category consists of soil conservation techniques (SCT): ST (JEV/SKO) and DS (JEV). These techniques are characterised by lower yields of dry mass, lower height of plants, forage quality equal to CT, but a high level of protection of the soil against erosion. The second category consists of CT (JEV and SKO) and partially of DS (SKO). These treatments are characterised by high dry mass production, higher plants, high forage quality, but a feeble capacity of protection of the soil against erosion. The results of the study confirm the presumption of the positive influence of introduction and application of new agronomical practices in the areas of interest and other areas with similar natural conditions in the sense of sustainable management for agricultural management of agricultural land for the conditions of the Czech Republic and therefore of Central and Eastern Europe. PCA and FA were used as an effective method for comprehensive evaluation of the use of STC in agricultural practice.

The aim of the study was to compare the concentrations of risk elements (As, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) in alluvial soil, which were measured by a portable X-ray fluorescence analyser (pXRF) in situ (FIELD) and in the laboratory (LABORATORY). Subsequently, regression equations were developed for individual elements through the method of construction of the regression model, which compare the results of pXRF with classical laboratory analysis (ICP-OES). The accuracy of the measurement, expressed by the coefficient of determination (R²), was as follows in the case of FIELD–ICP-OES: Pb (0.96), Zn (0.92), As (0.72), Mn (0.63), Cu (0.31) and Ni (0.01). In the case of LABORATORY–ICP-OES, the coefficients had values: Pb (0.99), Zn (0.98), Cu and Mn (0.89), As (0.88), Ni (0.81). A higher dependence of the relationship was recorded between LABORATORY–ICP-OES than between FIELD–ICP-OES. An excellent relationship was recorded for the elements Pb and Zn, both for FIELD and LABORATORY (R² higher than 0.90). The elements Cu, Mn and As have a worse tightness in the relationship; however, the results of the model have shown its applicability for common use, e.g., in agricultural practice or in monitoring the quality of the environment. Based on our results, we can say that pXRF instruments can provide highly accurate results for the concentration of risk elements in the soil in real time for some elements and meet the principle of precision agriculture: an efficient, accurate and fast method of analysis.

Beskydy - The Beskids Bulletin, the scientific journal of the Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic

Changes in the chemical composition and stability of humic substances after soil amendment with mineral and organic materials were studied. The study site, a Gleyic Fluvisol (Jaroměřice locality, Pardubice Region, Czech Republic), was under permanent grassland managed intensively (four cuts per year) and fertilised as follows: manure and slurry at a rate of 2 livestock units = 120 kg N per ha. The fertilisation treatments included: C – control (no fertilisation); FYM – farmyard manure (30.0 t ha-1); CS – cattle slurry (29.0 t ha-1); DIG – digestate (29.0 t ha-1); NPK – mineral fertilizer (120-30-60 kg ha-1). The study aimed to evaluate changes in the structural composition and stability of humic substances during the period 2022–2024, with the goal of providing a knowledge base for farmers to develop best practices for maintaining soil carbon stocks under intensive agricultural conditions. Humic substances (humic and fulvic acids) were extracted with a mixture of 0.1 M NaOH and 0.1 M Na4P2O7 /1:1, w/w. Further, humic acids (HA) were isolated according to the standard IHSS method and characterized using UV-VIS and DRIFT spectroscopy. Calculated indices showed higher HA stability and wettability after FYM, DIG, and CS application in comparison with NPK and control. The differences were found in the content of labile aliphatic hydrophobic groups (at 3000–2800 cm-1), aromatic stable and resistant C=C groups (at 1660–1580 cm-1), and hydrophilic amido-, carboxylic-, keto-groups (at 1740–1600 cm-1). The amount of hydrophilic resistant groups at 1660–1580 cm-1 was comparable at all sites. DRIFT and UV-VIS spectral methods were proposed as rapid tools for assessing humic substance quality instead of the laborious and time-consuming classical fractionation method.

In multifunctional agriculture, permanent grasslands (PG) present an important culture which keeps the soil in the continuous production status while helping to shape the landscape and protecting biodiversity, plus it has a number of other non-productive functions. The aim of the study was to evaluate, using the “Inventory and Classification of PG” method, species composition and the feed value of fodder in permanent grasslands in a specific farming company (ZEAS Lysice, a. s.) located in the area of the Sýkořská hornatina Upland. Multivariate analysis of PCA identified three categories of sites in the area: (1) PG with a low proportion of grass species and a high proportion of other herbs (47–55 %); (2) PG with a high proportion of grass species (68–81 %); (3) PG with a medium-high proportion of grass species (50–60 %), legumes (1 %) and other herbs. Most of PG are completely lacking legumes which supply nitrogen to the vegetation and are a major improvement for fodder production and its quality. Additional seeding of grass-clover mixtures seems to be a useful way to improve the botanical composition of meadows and pastures in the area of interest.