THE EFFECT OF MULCHING ON THE CHANGE OF HYDROTHERMAL CONDITIONS IN THE ARABLE LAYER OF LEACHED CHERNOZEM
The research goal was to study the changes of soil hydrothermal conditions when mulching the surface layer with cut straw. The research target was leached chernozem of the Priobskoye plateau. The research was carried out on the field of the “Prigorodnoye” Educational and Experimental Farm in the Altai Region. According to the measurements, it was found that in the daytime, soil mulching reduced both the surface temperature and in the entire arable layer in comparison with the control plot. Increasing the mulch layer had a more significant effect on temperature reduction. At night, a layer of cut straw prevented a dramatic change of temperature and helped to conserve heat. According to moisture measurements at different depths, the moisture in the mulched plots was better conserved. The differences in soil moisture content under two-centimeter and one-centimeter layers of mulch from cut straw were not almost noticeable, but there was a tendency to better moisture conservation with increasing mulch layer thickness. The decrease of temperature under the mulch in the summer may prevent soil overheating and maintain the optimal temperature conditions for plant growth and development. Mulching with cut straw will be efficient in the areas with insufficient or unstable moisture, however making a mulch layer more than one centimeter thick is impractical according to the results of this study.