Evapotranspiration and Maize Productivity Characteristics Under Soil Erosion Control Technologies on Sloped Terrains

The aim of the study was to assess the influence of water erosion and the applied erosion control technologies on components of soil water balance and crop productivity indicators during a three-year field experiment on Epicalcic Chernozem. Four treatments were tested: conventional technology, applied along the slope (control); conventional technology applied across the slope; surface mulching; and minimum tillage with vertical mulching with manure. The volume of surface water runoff was measured by a stationary method. The actual evapotranspiration was calculated according to the FAO 56 procedure. The water runoff was reduced in the treatments grown minimum tillage systems. On average for three years, the runoff was reduced by 435.8 m3 ha−1 for conventional technology applied across to the slope, by 524.6 m3 ha−1 for the treatment with surface mulching and by 848.2 m3 ha−1 for the minimum tillage with vertical mulching, compared to the control treatment, grown along the slope. The average grain yields for the three years range from 6026.3 kg ha−1 in the control treatment to 7018.3 kg ha−1 in the treatment with application of minimum tillage and vertical mulching. The increase in evapotranspiration in the erosion control treatments was reduced by the lower evaporation due to the plant residues on the soil surface in minimum tillage and surface mulching in the initial crop stage, despite the increased transpiration because of the lower runoffs and higher soil moisture content. This reflected in a better plant development and higher yields in maize production under these technologies.