Transformation of areas under crops, produc­ti­vity of cereal crops, and state of fertility of soils of Cherkasy oblast

The purpose. To investigate the causes and features of transformation of disposition of sown area and change of fertility of plowlands in agrarian and industrial complex of Cherkasy region for the last 50 years. Methods. Statistical: dispersive, correlation, structure of sown area and fertility of plowlands. Results. Transition from planned agriculture to not planned one, when the structure of sown area is developed not for many years, and annually depends on demand on plant growing production in the market of its realization. Decline of cattle-breeding branch in agrarian and industrial complex of Cherkasy region has begun with sharp decrease of livestock of animals. That caused essential decrease in sowings of forage crops in public sector. Therefore perennial grasses petered from the structure of sown area as the guarantor of regeneration of soil fertility. Assessment of parameters of fertility for 2010–2017 testifies to deterioration of general state of fertility of plowlands of agrarian and industrial complex of the region: balance of humus–0,48 t/hectare, NPK =–143 kg/hectare; content of humus stabilized at the level of 3,05–3,06%. As compared to 1961–1970 the content of humus in soils has decreased on 0,21%, dehumification made 0,0038% a year, and concerning 1986–1990 decrease in the content of humus has made 0,14%, or 0,0067% annually. Conclusions. Share of gross yield of grain of summer cereal crops has increased due to increase of areas of sowing and productivity of corn on the background of decrease of areas of sowing of winter and summer grains. In 1986–1990 winter and summer grains were predominant cultures in formation of yield of grain. And in 2013–2017 corn and to lesser degree winter wheat had appeared the predominant cultures.