Kestutis Romaneckas

Vytautas Magnus University · Institute of Agroecosystems and Soil Sciences

The introduction of innovative technologies in agriculture is key not only to improving the efficiency of agricultural production and crop yields and quality but also to balancing energy use and preserving a cleaner environment. Biopreparations are environmentally friendly means of restoring the vitality of the soil in which plants can thrive. Biop...

Sustainable and responsible agricultural production is one of the keys to keeping people, animals, soil, and the environment healthy. Precision seeding technologies for winter wheat, exploiting the variability of soil properties and adapting the technological processes of variable rate seeding and variable seeding depths, are essential not only to...

Agriculture uses a lot of fuel, fertilizers, pesticides and other substances, while emitting large amounts of GHGs. It is important to optimize these inputs and outputs. One such way is by increasing crop biodiversity. For this reason, single crops and mixtures of maize, hemp and faba bean as binary and ternary crops were investigated at the Experi...

Agriculture uses a lot of fuel, fertilizers, pesticides and other substances, while emitting large amounts of GHGs. It is important to optimize these inputs and outputs. One such way is increas-ing crop biodiversity. For this reason, single crops and mixtures of maize, hemp and faba bean as binary and ternary crops were investigated at the Experime...

At the time of tillage, the properties of the soil change, thereby changing the conditions of crop development and, ultimately, their productivity and quality. The effect of non-inversion tillage or no-till on faba bean development is still not widely understood. For this reason, on the basis of a long-term experiment (since 1988), investigations o...

The technological process of seeding is very important in the production of cereals because seed germination, growth, yield and the qualitative parameters depend on the quality of seeding. Variable rate and variable depth precision seeding technology is relatively new and has many unanswered questions. The aim of this work was to investigate the in...

At the time of tillage, properties of the soil change, thereby changing the conditions of crop development and ultimately their productivity and quality. The effect of non-inversion tillage or no till on faba bean development is stills not widely investigated. For this reason, investigations of tillage systems from deep and shallow ploughing, chise...

The introduction of innovative technologies in agriculture is key not only to improving the efficiency of agricultural production, crop yields, and quality but also to balancing energy use and preserving a cleaner environment. Biopreparations are environmentally friendly means of restoring the vitality of the soil on which plants can thrive. Biopre...

The heavy use of mineral fertilizers causes imbalances in the biological processes that take place in soil. Therefore, it is necessary to develop more effective fertilizers or fertilizer complexes that ensure agricultural productivity and soil conservation. There is currently a lack of knowledge regarding the effectiveness of biologically enriched,...

Crop seeding depth is an important parameter in agrotechnologies, but how can seeding depth automatically be maintained in on-farm soil conditions with different textures, granulometric compositions, structural contents and penetration resistances? For this reason, an on-farm field experiment was conducted in the Panevėžys district (Lithuania) duri...

Crop biomass is valuable not only from a nutritional and fodder point of view, but also from an energetic point of view. The main task is to increase biomass production while maintaining low nutrient and pesticide requirements and low ecological footprint. A stationary three-year field experiment was performed at the Experimental Station of Vytauta...

Wheat is among the world’s most important agricultural crops, with winter wheat accounting for approximately 25.5% of the total agricultural crop in Lithuania. The unchangeable goal of crop production is to achieve good and economically beneficial crop yield, but such efforts are often based on conventional agrotechnological solutions, and excessiv...

Environmentally friendly and energy-efficient farming technologies are integrated into agricultural production as cutting-edge technologies that provide the greatest economic, energy and environmental benefits [...]

Tillage systems affect many properties of soil, such as soil bulk density, porosity, pore distribution, and soil water capacity. However, the effect of reduced tillage (RT) on faba bean cultivation requires wider analysis. We carried out our investigations at Vytautas Magnus University, Agriculture Academy (Lithuania), as part of a long-term field...

The investigations were carried out at the Experimental Station of Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy, in 2021. The soil of the experimental site is silty light loam Planosol. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of multi-cropping intensity on the prevalence and damage of diseases and pests, as well as on weed abundance and...

Sowing or seedbed depth is an important agro-technological parameter that varies with specific on-field soil and microclimatic conditions and depends on crop biology. There is a lack of detailed information regarding how seedbed depth relates to other seedbed parameters and affects the development of agricultural crops. Several seeder constructions...

The main objective of this study was to analyze variable rate seeding (VRS) methods and critically evaluate their suitability and effectiveness for the challenges under field conditions. A search was performed using scientific databases and portals by identifying for analysis and evaluation 92 VRS methodologies, their impact and economic benefits d...

The paper presents the preparation and use of pressed solid biofuel of multi-crop plants (fibrous hemp (Cannabis sativa L.), maize (Zea mays L.) and faba bean (Vicia faba L.)) as mono, binary and trinomial crops. The results of the investigation show that three main chemical elements (carbon, oxygen and hydrogen) accounted for 93.1 to 94.9% of the...

Growing as much crop biomass as possible in the shortest possible time is the target for most bio-energy producers. However, according to the requirements of the Green Deal, the consumption of fertilizers and crop protection products will have to be significantly reduced between 2023 and 2027. In order to meet all the necessary conditions for the p...

Rapidly warming climate, tightening environmental requirements, an aging society, rising wages, and demand for organic products are forcing farming to be more efficient and sustainable. The main aim of this study was to perform an analytical analysis and to determine the energy use and GHG emissions of organic sugar beet production using different...

Analyses of statistical data were made and their results discussed in this article to identify the level of Poland’s energy security and to determine the role of agriculture in ensuring it. It has been demonstrated that coal continues to be the staple resource for the generation of energy in Poland. The current demands and requirements concerning t...

Differently tilled faba bean cultivations, in particular, require a comprehensive study of weed diversity, abundance, and seedbank due to the lack of experimental data. Therefore, in 2016–2018, field trials were conducted at Vytautas Magnus University on the basis of a long-term tillage experiment. Conventional deep and shallow plowing, deep chisel...

Conservation agriculture has three main pillars, i.e., minimum tillage, permanent soil cover, and crop rotation. Covering the soil surface with plant residues and minimum mechanical soil disturbance can all result from introducing a strip-till one-pass (ST-OP) system. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of the ST-OP technology on the...

Soil tillage intensity influences the chemical composition of soil, the distribution of nutrients, and soil physical and mechanical properties, as well as gas flows. The impact of reduced tillage on these indices in faba bean cultivation is still insufficient and requires more analysis on a global scale. This study was carried out at Vytautas Magnu...

Tillage is an agrotechnical practice that strongly affects the soil environment. Its effect on soil properties depends on the system and, more specifically, on the degree of soil inversion and loosening. Strip-till is a non-inversive method that loosens only narrow soil strips. In strip-till one-pass (ST-OP) technology, tillage is combined with a s...

There is a lack of research on the practice of intercropping sugar beet and the impact of such agrocenoses on soil and crop fertility, especially under organic farming conditions. For this reason, a three-year stationary field experiment was performed at Vytautas Magnus University, Agriculture Academy, Lithuania. Sugar beet was grown continuously w...

This article analyses and evaluates the impact of the technology of soil processing on the biomass indicators of faba bean waste. Samples from five different primary tillage systems were taken and analysed. The raw material of faba bean waste was processed and pressed into cylindrical pellets. The results of the experimental research of the pellet...

Faba beans are an important crops in the agricultural crop rotations and are valuable as medicine, food and feed. Faba beans improve the soil, reduces the utilization of chemical fertilizers for future crops and contribute to the reduction of environmental pollution in agriculture. The aim of this work was to evaluate the potential for environmenta...

Maize productivity is mainly constrained by the climate, meteorological and soil conditions, and agro-technological practice. Reduced primary tillage intensity might be a method to optimize the complex interactions between these conditions. An 8-year field experiment was designed to test this. The aim of the experiment was to establish the influenc...

Research related to fertilization in winter triticale cultivation was limited to macroelements. The effects of boron on triticale (deficiency or toxicity) affecting productivity are still unknown. In 2013–2015, a field experiment was carried out at the Experimental Station in Tomaszkowo near Olsztyn. The objective was set response of winter tritica...

Energy use in agricultural production has been increasing faster than in many other sectors of the world economy. Owing to high energy consumption during the production of agricultural inputs, with mineral nitrogen fertilizers in particular, it is often questioned as to whether agricultural production is still energy efficient. The objective of thi...

Decreased tillage intensity can contribute to a reduced agro-technological footprint and stabilise the negative impact of climate change, especially in leguminous crop cultivation. For this reason, a long-term (since 1988) stationary field experiment has been performed on silty loam Planosol (in Lithuania). The main objective of this study was to e...

Biomass is playing an increasingly important role as a source of renewable energy. The aim of this study has been to identify the potential applicability of straw from agricultural crops to generate energy within the district of Braniewo, in the province Warmia and Mazury, Poland. The study covered the years 2015 to 2017. Based on statistical data,...

A long-term stationary field experiment was carried out at the Experimental Station of Aleksandras Stulginskis University (Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy since 2019) in 2017. The following sustainable weed control methods were examined: 1) inter-row loosening (control treatment); 2) inter-row cutting and mulching with weeds; 3) inte...

Different tillage technologies have different effects on CO2 emissions from soil. Unfortunately, little information exists about the impact of different types of tillage as compared with no-tillage, and the main controls. The aim of this research is to determine the relationship between physicomechanical, chemical and biological properties of soil...

The efficiency and environmental impact of sugar beet production can be measured using a variety of energy consumption and carbon emission indicators, respectively. The goal of the present study was to analyse the energy and carbon emission indicators of sugar beet production systems that involved different farming methods and farm sizes. More spec...

A short-term, stationary field experiment was carried out at the Experimental Station of the Aleksandras Stulginskis University (ASU) in 2015–2016. The soil under the experiment was silty loam Planosol (Endohypogleyic-Eutric – Ple-gln-w). The research objective was to determine the influence of different non-chemical weed control treatments on soil...

The complex mutual interactions between soil properties and plants in high-biodiversity mono-cropping agro ecosystems have not been widely investigated. For this purpose, during 2009-2011, a stationary field experiment was conducted at the Experimental Station of the Aleksandras Stulginskis University to establish the effect of a multi-component ag...

Soil tillage involves the mechanical manipulation of soils used for crop production. Tillage is done to prepare an optimal seedbed, to loosen compacted soil layers, to control weeds, to increase aeration, to incorporate plant residues into the soil, to facilitate water infiltration and soil moisture storage, and to control soil temperature. Nonethe...

Given the drawbacks of conventional soil tillage and direct drilling, an environmentally friendly technology of strip-tillage has been gaining increasing popularity worldwide because it allows the employment of full tillage and direct drilling advantages. Strip-tillage compared to the direct drilling is a good option for proper seedbed preparation...

Soils with high content of particles φ ≤ 0.02 mm usually have nonfavourable physical and mechanical properties. In order to determine the impact of biological agents on properties of heavy-textured soils in organic farming systems, in the years of 2007–2009 an on-farm scale field experiment was carried out in Budziszewo, Pomeranian province in Pola...

Lauko eksperimentas įrengtas 1988 m. tuometinėje Lietuvos žemės ūkio akademijos Bandymų stotyje. Eksperimentas atliktas 4 pakartojimais. Iš viso buvo 20 laukelių. Eksperimento variantų laukeliai išdėstyti rendomizuotai. Augalų rotacija eksperimente: 1) vasariniai rapsai; 2) žieminiai kviečiai; 3) kukurūzai; 4) vasariniai miežiai. Pagrindinio žemės...

The objective of this work was to assess the influence of the row cleaner attack angle, the gap between discs, the working depth of a narrow tine and the strip tillage machine's working speed on tractor fuel consumption and on greenhouse effect-related CO2 gas emissions into the environment. This research was carried out by changing the row cleaner...

Tyrimai atlikti 2015 m. Aleksandro Stulginskio universiteto Bandymų stotyje. Eksperimento dirvožemis – dulkiško lengvo priemolio giliau glėjiškas pasotintasis palvažemis (PLb-g4). Tyrimų tikslas – įvertinti necheminės piktžolių kontrolės sistemų įtaką cukrinių runkelių pasėlio piktžolėtumui ekologinės žemdirbystės sąlygomis. Tirtos tvarios nechemin...

Cercospora and ramularia leaf spot are the most damaging fungal diseases of sugar beet in Europe. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the severity of fungal diseases and the efficacy of various fungicides and their doses in sugar beet crops in Lithuania. A short-term field experiment was carried out in 2012 and 2013 at Rumokai Experimental...

The influence of reduced tillage (RT) on the biochemical properties of soil and crops has been studied thoroughly worldwide. In contrast, we lack regular results on long-term (more than 20 years) RT and especially no-till (NT) impact on the composition of soil and main crops in semi-humid subarctic climate of the Baltic States. For this reason, inv...

One of the most common problems in long-term reduced or no-tillage practices is increased weed infestation. In this study, as no clear conclusions for Southern Baltic Region transitional maritime-continental climate and soil conditions have been reached to date, we investigated the interactions between maize and weeds in such technologies with low...

The impact of sustainable reduced tillage (RT) on the physical properties of soil is well documented worldwide; however, there is no precise information about the influence of long-term RT or no-till (NT) on the soils at the boundary for grain maize-growing in the semi-humid subarctic climate conditions of the Baltic states, especially on the forma...

Applications of biological agents intensify the growth of crops, so they more quickly form a maximum leaf area, optimize photosynthesis, increase plant productivity and quality. Chemical producers offer a new generation of bio-organic fertilizers based on nano technologies. Such fertilizers have not been well investigated yet; therefore, the aim of...

Numerous research and observations have been conducted aiming to establish weed spread methods and reasons and weed-crop competition peculiarities. Enhancement of the competitive ability of agricultural crops is one of the principal tools to increase the productivity of agricultural crops. Sowing living mulches between the rows of a main crop is a...

Intensive agricultural production strongly influences the global processes that determine climate change. Thus, tillage can play a very important role in climate change. The intensity of soil carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, which contribute to the greenhouse effect, can vary depending on the following factors: the tillage system used, meteorologica...

Precision farming is an innovative conception of agricultural production. European farmers apply the principles of precision agriculture (PA) fragmentary; therefore, we need complex investigations of technological processes in conditions of PA. In 2013-2014, the demonstrational on-farm field experiment was carried out at Alfredas Bardauskas agricul...

Lately the strip tillage system has been gaining increasing popularity in the world; it tills only the individual strips of soil in which the crops will be sown, not the entire soil surface. Strip tillage is a combination of the traditional and no tillage systems with the inherent advantages of both systems. This article presents the results of exp...

As one of the key physical-mechanical properties of soil, soil compaction is used to assess resistance of the soil to penetration of a solid body. Soil compaction also determines the actual service life of the tillage machine working parts, quality of technological processes, energy consumption and other parameters. It also affects seed incorporati...

Allelopathic activity of creeping thistle Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. over-ground and rootstock biomass water extracts af- fects winter wheat Triticum aestivum L. grain germination and early growth. Separately grinded 75 g of creeping thistle over- ground part and rootstocks was stirred into 750 mL of distilled water and left for 24 hours at a room...

A long-term field experiment (since 1988) was carried out at the Experimental Station of the Aleksandras Stulginskis University (ASU, 54° 52′ N, 23° 49′ E) in the conditions of transitional maritime-climate. Research data from the 2010-2012 experimental period are presented. The soil of the experimental site is silty light loam Endohypogleyic-Eutri...

The introduction of sowing technologies into minimum- or no-tillage soil has a number of economical and environmental virtues, such as improving soil properties, decreasing soil erosion and degradation, and saving working time and fuel. However, the main disadvantage of these technologies is that plant residues on the soil surface reduce the qualit...

Soil tillage and sowing machinery construction, and work technological processes have strong influence on the soil physical and mechanical properties. In order to estimate this influence the research was carried out in the laboratory soil bin. The aim of the experiment - to estimate the effect of different design coulters on seedbed hardness. Shoe...

The article presents the theoretical aspects of disc coulters working process under no- tillage conditions. Under no-tillage conditions, effective operation of disc coulters is impeded by plant residues. In the interaction of a disc coulter, plant residues and soil surface, the disc coulter may cut the plant residues, roll over them or press them i...

In laboratory bioassay the allelopathic influence of ground perennial sow thistle Sonchus arvensis over-ground and rootstock biomass water extracts on spring wheat Triticum aestivum L. variety SW Estrad C2 grain germination and early growth was investigated. Grinded 50 g of air-dried plant part (over-ground or rootstock) was stirred into 500 ml of...

No-tillage technologies have been developed in the world and in Lithuania at the same time, because of economical and environmentally-friendly advantages. However, the sowing into no-plowing and completely undeveloped soils is more complex because plant residues prevent in the soil. Using no-tillage technology, the soil surface is usually much hard...