Long-term rye monoculture on chernozem: stable yields with changing soil organic matter
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/EQ.2025.037Keywords
chernozem, long-term field experiments, monoculture, winter rye, soil fertilityAbstract
Long-term field experiments are essential for understanding how monocultures reshape soils under climate change. We hypothesised that the buffering capacity of Ukrainian chernozem sustains low but persistent winter rye yields without external inputs, while gradually altering the quality of soil organic matter and the base-cation status. We tested this in a long dataset from Poltava (Ukraine): a 0.4-ha plot established in 1884 and managed uniformly (annual disking and ploughing to 22–25 cm, mid-September sowing, no fertilisers, herbicides or pesticides; varieties renewed). Hydrometeorological records, archived yields (1885–2024) and repeated soil surveys (1964–2024) were analysed; elemental composition was determined by ICP-MS; humus fractions by standard alkaline extraction; statistics in Statistica 12. Mean grain yield was 1.19 t ha⁻¹ (straw 2.80 t ha⁻¹) with wide interannual variability (0.15–2.38 t ha⁻¹) but no significant long-term trend despite regional warming and modest precipitation decline. Topsoil humus (0–20 cm) decreased from 2.8% mid-century to 2.3% in 2024, and the humic: fulvic carbon ratio fell from 1.15 to 0.89, indicating a shift toward more mobile, less polymerised fractions. Soil reaction remained acid to slightly acid (pH(salt) 4.7–5.5) with hydrolytic acidity 2.4–3.8 meq 100 g⁻¹; available N, P and K fluctuated within stable ranges, but Ca and Mg declined. Weed communities changed markedly; pest pressure intermittently exceeded economic thresholds yet appeared buffered by natural antagonists. Continuous winter rye on chernozem maintains modest, persistent yields without fertiliser inputs, while organic matter quantity declines moderately and quality becomes more fulvic; concurrent base-cation depletion flags a risk to structural and ecological stability. The 140-year record provides a rare baseline for calibrating models and designing rotation, liming, and nutrient-return strategies for climate-resilient agro-ecosystems in Eastern Europe.
References
Blake, L., Mercik, S., Koerschens, M., Goulding K.W.T., Stempen, S., Weigel, A., Poulton, P.R., & Powlson, D.S., 1999, Potassium content in soil, uptake in plants and the potassium balance in three European long-term field experiments. Plant and Soil 216: 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004730023746
Boincean, B.P., Martea, M.P., Ungureanu, A.I., & Hropotinschi, P.M., 2013, Long-term field experiment with irrigation on the Balti Chernozem. [in:] Soil as World Heritage. pp. 233–250. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6187-2_22
Faybishenko, B., Romashchenko, M., Saydak, R., & Biraud, S., 2023, Phenomena of intense climatic changes over the territory of Ukraine and a vision for the extension of the Climatic Monitoring System. EGU Galileo Conferece, Naples 12-15 Jun 2023. https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-gc8-hydro-111
Gangur, V.V., Kokhan, A.V., Hlushchenko, L.D., Olepir, R.V., & Len, O.I., 2019, Impact of natural and anthropogenic factors on humus dynamics and winter wheat productivity under continuous cultivation. Bulletin of Poltava State Agrarian Academy 3: 43–49. https://doi.org/10.31210/visnyk2019.03.05
Hapich, H, Orlinska, O., Pikarenia, D., Chushkina, I., Pavlychenko, A., & Roubík, H., 2023, Prospective methods for determining water losses from irrigation systems to ensure food and water security of Ukraine. Naukovyi Visnyk Natsionalnoho Hirnychoho Universytetu 2: 154–160. https://doi.org/10.33271/nvngu/2023-2/154
Kokhan, A.V., Hlushchenko, L D., Bryhyda, S.H., Koval, V.V., & Bilanovets, O.L., 2014, Ways to prevent soil degradation in the Poltava region. Special Issue for the IX Congress of the Ukrainian Society of Soil Scientists, Mykolaiv, June 30- July 4, 2014, pp. 148–149.
Kokhan, A.V., Hlushchenko, L.D., Gangur, V.V., Samoylenko, O.A., Len, O.I., Olepir, R.V., Kalinichenko, S.M., & Kavalir, L.V., 2017, Unique experiment of global agriculture in the Poltava region – Long-term winter rye cultivation. Agricultural Science and Practice 4(1): 63–69. https://doi.org/10.15407/agrisp4.01.063
Kokhan, A.V., Olepir, R.V., Hlushchenko, L.D., Len, O.I., & Gangur, V.V., 2019, Winter wheat in continuous cropping. Bulletin of the Centre for Scientific Support of Agricultural Production in Kharkiv Region 26: 50–59.
Kokhan, A.V., Hlushchenko, L.D., Len, O.I., Olepir, R.V., & Kalinichenko, S.M., 2018, Changes in the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of humus in dark-grey soil under winter rye cultivation over 132 years. Agrochemistry and Soil Science, Special Issue 2: 148–155.
Kokhan, A.V., Hlushchenko, L.D., & Samoylenko, O.A., 2019, Nitrogen balance in typical chernozem under different fertilisation systems. Proceedings of the All-Ukrainian Scientific and Practical Conference Dedicated to the 135th Anniversary of the Poltava Experimental Field, Poltava, October 4, 2019, pp. 33–34.
Mazur, V.A., Lypovyi, V.H., & Mordvanyuk, M.O., 2020, Methodology of Scientific Research in Agronomy: A Study Guide. Vinnytsia: VC LLC “TVORY,” 204 p. [in Ukrainian].
Mytsyk, O., Havryushenko, O., Tsyliuryk, O., Shevchenko, S., Hulenko, O., Shevchenko, M., & Derevenets-Shevchenko, K., 2024, Reclamation of derelict mine land by simply growing crops. International Journal of Environmental Studies 81(1): 230–238. doi: 10.1080/00207233.2024.2330283
Onopriienko, D., Hapich, H., Tkachuk, A., Dent, D., Kovalenko, V., Makarova, T., & Roubík, H., 2025, Fertigation with sprinklers: Food and water security on the Ukrainian steppe. Journal of Ecological Engineering 26(6) 150–161. https://doi.org/10.12911/22998993/202346
Onopriienko, D., Makarova, T., Hapich, H., Chernysh, Y., & Roubik, H., 2024, Agroecological Transformation in the Salt Composition of Soil under the Phosphogypsum Influence on Irrigated Lands in Ukraine. Agriculture 14(3), 408. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14030408
Powlson, D.S., MacDonald, A.J., & Poulton, P.R., 2014, The continuing value of long-term field experiments. Insights for achieving food security and environmental integrity, pp. 131–159, [in:] D.L. Dent (ed.) Soils as world heritage. Dordrecht: Springer.
Powlson, P.R., Pruden, G.V., Johnston, A.G., & Jenkinson, D.S., 1986, The nitrogen cycle in the Broadbalk Wheat Experiment: recovery and losses of 15N-labelled fertiliser applied in spring and inputs of nitrogen from the atmosphere. J. Agric. Sci. Camb. 107: 591–609. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021859600069768
Revtie-Uvarova, A.V., Nikonenko, V.M., Slidenko, O.I., 2024, Algorithm for organising soil monitoring based on long-term field experiments. Bulletin of Agrarian Science 2. https://doi.org/10.31073/agrovisnyk202402-11
Romashchenko, M., Faybishenko, B., Onopriienko, D., Hapich, H., Novitskyi, R., Dent, D., Saidak, R., Usaty, S., & Roubik, H., 2025, Prospects for restoration of Europe’s biggest irrigation system. Water International. Doi.org/10.1080/02508060.2015.2072718
Samoylenko, O.A., & Kokhan, A.V., 2020, Fifty shades of drought. Zerno 7(172): 58–63.
Shevchenko, S., Derevenets-Shevchenko, K., Desyatnyk, L., Shevchenko, M., Sologub, I., & Shevchenko, O., 2024, Tillage effects on soil physical properties and maize phenology. International Journal of Environmental Studies 81(1): 393–402. doi: 10.1080/00207233.2024.2320032
Shevchenko, S., Tkalich, Y., Shevchenko, M., Kolesnykova, K., & Derevenets-Shevchenko, K., 2023, The evaluation of total weed density and seed bank of agricultural landscapes as an example of the Steppe Zone of Ukraine. Scientific Horizons 26(11): 80–89. doi: 10.48077/scihor11.2023.80
Shvartau, V.V., Mykhalska, L.M., Kokhan, A.V., & Hlushchenko, L.D, 2016, Analysis of soil ionome samples collected in Ukraine before 1945. Proceedings of the XXIII Annual Scientific Conference of the Institute for Nuclear Research, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, February 1–5, 2016, pp. 196–197.
Stępień, W., Szulc, W., Rutkowska, B., Chojnicki, J., Kwasowski, W., Sosulski, T., Szara, E., & Szymańska M., 2019, The most important soil properties and yields of plants in 100 years of static fertilizing experiments in Skierniewice, pp. 184–187, [in:] Teorìâ ì praktyka rozvitku agropromislovogo kompleksu ta sìl's'kih terìtorìj: materìali XX Mìžnarodnogo naukovo-praktičnogo forumu,17-19 veresnâ 2019 roku, L’viv. Lìga-Pres, 434 p. ISBN 978-617-397-127-3
Ushkarenko, V.O., Vozhegova, R.A., Holoborodko, S.P., & Kokovikhin, S.V., 2008, Statistical analysis of the results of field experiments in agriculture. Kherson: Ailant, 381 p. [in Ukrainian].
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Andriy Kokhan, Oleksandr Tsyliuryk, Oleksandr Len, Mykhailo Shevchenko, Serhii Shevchenko, Oleksandr Izhboldin, Olena Samoilenko, Halyna Yevtushenko, Roman Olepir
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Stats
Number of views and downloads: 129
Number of citations: 0
