SOIL TILLAGE SYSTEMS AS AN ABIOTIC FACTOR IN THE PRODUCTION OF OILSEED RAPE (Brassica napus L.)

Our polifactorial rape research was carried out at Latokep Experimental Station of University of Debrecen AMTC, 15 km away from Debrecen in 2007-2008. The aim was to study the unique effect and the interactive effect of more factors. In our research we applied three different methods of tillage: ploughing, loosening and disking. We could observe big differences between tillage methods in point of yield. Plots of loosening show a much better average yield than plots of disking and ploughing. We experienced the biggest differences in point of yield in the case of sowing August 24 2007 with different tillage plots. Not even the plot with the highest average reached the limit of 4 tons, due to the unusually rainy weather, the high rate of lodging and the harvest loss caused by this. The biggest amount of yield was experienced in the case of sowing of 24(th) August 2007, with the highest level of chemical fertilization at loosening tillage plot ( 3930 kg/ha(-1)). Considering the first observed crop year we can state that alternative tillage methods do have a future in rape growing of Hungary.