Study Site Trials
The SICS selected for trialling in this Study Site are described below:
| General Treatment Category | Study Site Trials |
| Tillage, cover crops |
1. Loss of SOM and Compaction control - Mouldboard plough and bare soil; Mouldboard plough and deep rooting cover crop (tillage radish); No tillage and bare soil; No tillage and deep rooting cover crop (tillage radish) |
Study Site poster 2018; Study Site poster 2019 (download)
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Read this fact sheet in Italian here |
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| Tillage raddish | |||
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| Winter wheat | |||
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| Bare soil |
Key findings
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Geographical description
Location: The study area is located in the low Venetian plain and is characterized by sedimentary loamy soils with shallow groundwater (<2 m). The local climate is sub-humid, with an annual rainfall of about 850 mm. Temperatures increase from January (minimum average: 1.5 °C) to July (maximum average: 27.2 °C). SOM content is strongly affected by the peculiar texture (low physical protection) and climatic conditions, and usually ranges from 10 to 20 g kg-1 in the top layer.
Pedo-climatic zone
Mediterranean North, Cambisol
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| Location of the study site in NE Italy | Overview of part of the long-term experiment (50-yrs old). |
Cropping systems
Cropping intensity: Conventional.
Types of crop
Exp. 1: wheat, maize, soybean, sugarbeet, alfalfa, permanent meadow, 7 crop rotations: six-years (maize, sugarbeet, maize, wheat, alfalfa, alfalfa), four year (sugarbeet, soybean, wheat, maize), two years (wheat, maize), continuous maize, continuous wheat, continuous silage maize, permanent meadow
Exp. 2: wheat, maize, tomato, sugarbeet, four-year rotation Management of soil, water, nutrients and pests
Exp. 1: Moldboard ploughing in autumn; due to the shallow water table (ranging from 60 to 200 mm) irrigation is used occasionally; nutrient status is regulated through organic (cattle slurries or farmyard manure) and mineral inputs + introduction of soybean and alfalfa in 4-year and 6-year rotation respectively; chemical weed and pest control.
Exp. 2: Moldboard ploughing in autumn; due to the shallow water table (ranging from 60 to 200 mm) irrigation is used occasionally; nutrient status is regulated through organic (residue incorporation or residue incorporation + poultry manure) and mineral inputs; chemical weed and pest control.
Within SoilCare, the aim is to identify, select and assess different soil-improving cropping systems (CS) in Europe to determine their effects on soil quality, environment, crop yield, profitability and sustainability using a range of advanced methodologies and assessment procedures, core elements being a soil quality evaluation and analysis at the farm level (costs and benefits) and surrounding environments (ecosystem services). As different conditions require the use of different cropping systems, and the applicability, profitability and environmental impacts of the different systems and techniques will vary across Europe, SoilCare is working in 16 different Study Sites covering different pedo-climatic, socio-economic and political conditions. Within the Study Sites, different soil-improving CS will be selected, tested and evaluated in collaboration with stakeholders, after which Study Site results will be upscaled to European level.
The table below gives an overview of the SoilCare project Study Sites in the partner countries.
An overview of SICS to be trialled in each Study Site can be viewed here
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 |
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Key findings
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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).
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| 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.
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| Impressions of the Study Site | |
Types of crop
The common crop rotation used in the study area is: wheat, maize, sunflower.