Changes in some agrophysical properties of fallow drained brown mountain forest soils in the Jewish Autonomous Region

Abstract

The results of studying the changes of soil structure of fallow drained lands on the territory of the Jewish Autonomous Region are presented using the «Murashi» drainage system as an example. In fallow soils, as the former agricultural lands are overgrown, an increase in the humus content in the upper part of the former arable horizon is observed in comparison with arable lands. The highest concentrations of humus were obtained in a 20-year-old deposit. At the same time, the greatest decrease in saline and hydrolytic acidity is observed in the most fallow soil. In fallow soils, there is a decrease in the density of the upper soil layer, which fa- vorably affects the soil structure. In brown mountain forest soils in a 20-year-old fallow, there is a noticeable increase in the proportion of macroaggregates, including agronomically valuable ones, and a corresponding decrease in the number of microaggregates, which indicates an improvement in the agronomic properties of fallow soils. The data obtained can serve as a basis for the effective use of the studied fallow soils in the agricultural sector.