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It was to investigate the effects of mulch cover and stubble tillage on soil water content and to assess grounds of recommendations in stubble management in an extreme dry period. Tests were carried out in undisturbed (U) soil, after shallow (S) and deep (D) tillage, soil with (UCO, SCO, DCO) and without surface cover (UCL, SCL, DCL) and after conventional stubble treatment (STR). Effective moisture conservation (8-11%) was observed in undisturbed soil under 55% and 65% cover ratios. The water content in the top 0.65 m soil layer increased significantly (LSD, P < 0.05) between the different stubble variants, the following order was established on day 85: DCL < STR < SCL < UCL < DCO < SCO < UCO. The conventional stubble management cannot be applied in soils after shallow (STR) or deep tillage (DCL) in a dry season, when the loss of water is even statistically proven. Leaving the soil without a cover (UCL) or having it with insufficient cover (< 15%) entails risks in soils. Increasing the soil cover ratio (from 5% to 75%) had a 1.3-2.3 times stronger impact on crumb forming than did the moisture recorded in the various seasons.

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Abstract:A diverse topography along with deforestation, changing climatic conditions, long-term human settlement, overuse of agricultural lands without sustainable planning, cultural difficulties in accepting conservative land management practices, and wrong political decisions have increased the vulnerability of many soils to degradation and resulted in a serious decline in their functional capacity. A progressive reduction in the capacity of soils to support plant productivity is not only a threat in the African continent and its large desert zone, but also in several parts of Central and Southeastern Europe (CASEE). The loss of soil functions throughout CASEE is mainly related to the human activities that have profound influence on soil dynamic characteristics. Improper management of soils has made them more vulnerable to degradation through water and wind erosion, organic matter depletion, salinity, acidification, crusting and sealing, and OPEN ACCESSSustainability 2015, 7 2162 compaction. Unmitigated degradation has substantial implications for long term sustainability of the soils' capability to support human communities and resist desertification. If sustainable agricultural and land management practices are not identified, well understood and implemented, the decline in soil quality will continue and probably accelerate. The lack of uniform criteria for the assessment and evaluation of soil quality in CASEE countries prevents scientific assessments to determine if existing management practices are leading to soil quality improvement, or if not, what management practices should be recommended to mitigate and reverse the loss of soil health.

Abstract⎯Impacts of agronomic applications were studied in a field experiment to determine water availability, grain yield, and protein formation interrelations. Three winter wheat varieties and six nitrogen application levels were applied in two consecutive crop years representing different precipitation and temperature patterns to evaluate yield, yield components, and quality manifestation. The research results suggest that precipitation patterns in relation with the wheat development phenophases had profound influence on the grain yield and protein formation of wheat crop. Varietal differences were determined regarding yield and protein values in relation with plant nutrition and crop year impacts. There were no, or minor differences only between varieties, however plant nutrition treatments induced significant differences in both crop years.