Kestutis Romaneckas

Vytautas Magnus University · Institute of Agroecosystems and Soil Sciences

Barley is an important cereal crop with versatile uses: barley grains are part of the human diet and are also used for animal feed, while the potential to use barley for ethanol production provides this grain with a promising bioenergy potential. As scientific research in the field of bioenergy progresses, barley may play an even greater role in me...

As the population grows, more food is needed to keep the food supply chain running smoothly. For many years, intensive farming systems have been used to meet this need. Currently, due to intense climate change and other global natural problems, there is a shift towards sustainable use of natural resources and simplified methods of tillage. Soil til...

The use of burned plant biomass ashes could help not only with respect to utilizing combustion residues, but also with respect to optimizing the nutrition of cultivated agricultural plants without harming the environment. With this aim, a pot experiment of the effects of multi-crop biomass ash on faba bean seedlings was carried out in the Academy o...

Multicropping can solve energy use and GHG balance problems, but the emergence, development, and productivity of such mixed crops are at risk due to the uneven distribution of precipitation. For this reason, investigations were performed at the Experimental Station of Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania. Single maize crops were compared with Crim...

Plant biomass could become a new world-class "currency" because almost everything can be made of it: fuels, foods, feeds, constructing materials, furniture, etc. Currently, growing biomass for energy needs is particularly relevant in so complicated socioeconomical situation. There are important its productivity and the lowest possible ecological fo...

Multicropping can solve the energy and GHG balance problems, but the emergence, development and productivity of such mixed crops are at risk due to uneven distribution of precipitation. For this reason, investigations were performed at the Experimental Station of Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania. Single maize crop was compared with Crimson/red...

Soil tillage intensity influences the distribution of nutrients, and soil’s physical and me-chanical properties, as well as gas flows. The impact of reduced tillage on these indices in spring barley cultivation is still insufficient and requires more analysis on a global scale. This study was carried out at Vytautas Magnus University, Agriculture A...

The EU Green Deal envisages a significant reduction in the use of industrial mineral fertilizers in agro-technologies. The use of ash from another fuel made from plant biomass could help not only to utilize combustion residues, but also to optimize the nutrition of cultivated agricultural plants without harming the environment. With this aim, a pot...

The EU Greening program requested increasing the area of leguminous crops. The use of legumes as intercrops reduces both wind and water erosion, which has a positive effect on the yield of the main crops. Unfortunately, there is no precise scientific background of legume intercropping technologies in Lithuania. For this reason, a stationary short-t...

Multi-cropping is becoming an increasingly popular technique in agriculture to tackle major and complex agroecosystem problems such as biodiversity and soil fertility loss, erosion and degradation, increased greenhouse gas emissions, etc. Comprehensively assessing the impact of multi-cropping intensity on agroecosystems is a new and still under-res...

Field studies with the large-stemmed plant Artemisia dubia (A. dubia) have been carried out at the Vėžaičiai Branch of LAMMC since 2018. According to three years of experimental results, annual dry matter (DM) yield varied from 7.94 to 10.14 t ha−1. Growing conditions, nitrogen application level, and harvesting time had statistically significant im...

Multi-cropping is becoming an increasingly popular approach in agriculture to tackle major and complex agroecosystem problems such as biodiversity and soil fertility losses, erosion and degradation, increased greenhouse gas emissions, etc. Comprehensive assessment of the impact of multi-cropping intensity on the agroecosystem is a new and still und...

Field studies with large-stemmed plants Artemisia dubia (wormwood) have been carried out at Vėžaičiai Branch LAMMC since 2018. According to three years of experimental results, annual dry matter (DM) yield varied from 7.94 to 10.14 t ha-1. Growing conditions, nitrogen ap-plication level and harvesting time had significant impacts on Artemisia dubia...

The interactions of the different factors in differently tilled faba bean agroecosystems are still insufficiently studied and evaluated. For these reasons, we studied the results of a long-term field experiment, which was carried out in the Research Station of Vytautas Magnus University, Agriculture Academy (Lithuania). The aim of this study is to...

Multi-cropping can solve the energy and GHG balance problems, but the emergence, development and productivity of such mixed crops are at risk due to increasing drought periods. For this reason, single maize crops with inter-row mellowing and weed-mulching practices were compared with faba bean, crimson and Persian clover, and alfalfa intercropped m...

Interactions of different factors in differently tilled faba bean agrosystem is still insufficiently studied and evaluated. For these reasons we studied the results of long-term field experiment, which was carried out in the Research Station of Vytautas Magnus University, Agriculture Academy (Lithuania). The aim of this study is comprehensively eva...

The objective of this systematic review (SR) was to select studies on the use of gene editing by CRISPR technology related to plant resistance to biotic stresses. We sought to evaluate articles deposited in six electronic databases, using pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. This SR demonstrates that countries such as China and the United...

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...

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...

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...

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...