Long-Term Winter Wheat Cropping Influence on Soil Quality ... 65et al., 2000), whereas yield losses in mono-cropping are attributed to the
exhaustion of nutrients and soil water reserves, pathogen proliferation and
lower activity of microorganisms. Many studies emphasized N fertilization as
a crucial factor in accomplishing of a higher yield with sufficient quality
(Fageria and Baligar, 2005; Gut and Bichoński, 2007; Vaněk et al., 2008).
Stojković et al. (1972) determined that the winter wheat performed better in
multicrop rotations in unfavorable years. The 3-year rotation could increase
yield by affecting the soil moisture content and increasing the duration of crop
coverage (Huang et al., 2003).
METHODS
The Vojvodina province is located within the Pannonian Basin, and
occupies an area between 45’38’’ to 46’10” northern latitude and 18’0” to
21’15” eastern longitude. Vojvodina covers the northernmost part of Serbia,
north of the Sava and the Danube rivers. Cropland in the province totals
1.509.800 ha, 933.900 ha of which is Chernozem soil, while Chernozem and
Chernozem-like meadow soils cover approximately 1.300.000 ha.
A longterm experiment (LTE) titled “Plodoredi” (Crop rotation) is
situated at the Rimski Šančevi experimental field of the Institute of Field and
Vegetable Crops in Novi Sad (N 45°^ 19, E 19° 50) on the southern border of
the chernozem zone of the Pannonian Basin. The experiment was established
in 1946/47, to conceptually correspond with the prevailing cropping
technology of agricultural area, aiming to utilize the obtained results in yield
improvement of the most important field crops. The experimental treatments
have been subjected to some changes over the past 70 years. Prior to the
establishment a fertilized wheat monoculture, and 2 and 3-year crop rotations
(1969/70), the area had been managed as a 6-year crop rotation (maize (Zea
mays L.) - spring barley (Hordeum valgare L.) with intersown alfalfa
(Medicago sativa L.) - alfalfa - alfalfa - hemp (Canabis sativa L.) - wheat
(Triticum aestivum L.). Crop rotation was arranged as single crop rotation in
which all crops were grown each year according to the experimental design,
and plots were divided into three subplots (90 x 30 m) representing the
repetitions. The selected study treatments were as follows: fertilized 3–year
crop rotation (wheat–maize–soybean) MSW-F; fertilized 2–year crop rotation