The Change of pH Value and <i>Octolasion cyaneum</i> Savigny Earthworms’ Activity under Stubble Crops after Spring Triticale Continuous Cultivation

• Main Authors: Angelika Kliszcz, Joanna Puła
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-07-01
• Series: Soil Systems
• Subjects: Octolasion cyaneum Savigny; mustard; buckwheat; phacelia; triticale continuous crop; soil pH
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2571-8789/4/3/39

The changes of pH value followed by various agricultural practices are crucial for biotic components of soil, along with other environmental factors, like temperature and moisture content. In this paper, the earthworms population in triticale continuous cultivation was monitored. Their presence associated with various agrotechnical methods (e.g., stubble crops maintained as mulch, mineral fertilization without pesticides) were assessed twice by the handsorting method, and their presence during the triticale vegetation season (occurrence of coprolites) were monitored too. The aim of the study was to analyse the distribution of earthworm populations in cereal continuous cultivation fields, and whether they prefer any of the stubble crop species (<i>Sinapis alba </i>L., <i>Phacelia tanacetifolia </i>Benth., <i>Fagopyrum esculentum </i>Moench.), which were sown after triticale harvest. The results reveal the most abundant earthworms occurence in the <i>F. esculentum</i> objects (43.1% of all sampled earthworms, which consists of 42% and 47.2% of all sampled matured and juveniles individuals, respectively), and species homogeneity (dominate <i>Octolasion cyaneum </i>Savigny, 1826). The changes of pH varied through the triticale vegetation season, but didn’t exhibit severe variation between sampling sites. Using earthworm services in cropping systems after having enticed them to the field through stubble crop has the potential to boost agricultural sustainability. Their ecological preferences, along with their trophic behaviour, have already been put in place to complete a case study of the autecology of the <i>O. cyaneum </i>Savigny 1826 species.