ASSESSMENT OF TILLAGE WITH PLOW AND CONSERVATION TILLAGE BY THE BAIT-LAMINA-TEST AFTER VON TORNE AND BY THE ABUNDANCES OF SPRINGTAILS AND PREDATORY MITES

The object of the present study was to determine the effect of convent ional-tillage (plough) or conservation-tillage (mulch seed) and additi onal of green fallow or winter wheat as previous crops on the biologic al activity in the soil assessed by the bait lamina test after von Tor ne. Also the abundace of springtails and predatory mites was studied i n the same plots. Winter wheat was the standing crop on all plots. Dur ing 3 months (April to June 1997) 8 soil cores to a depth of 15 cm eac h were taken monthly from each plot to define the abundace of the two mesofauna groups springtails and predatory mites. In addition 3 groups of 16 bait laminae were exposed for 8 days each month in the 4 studie d plots. The biological activity of the soil increased successively fr om plough/winter wheat to plough/green fallow to conservation-tillage/ winter wheat to conservation-tillage/green fallow. Abundance of spring tails and predatory mites is in plots under conservation-tillage (mulc h seed) higher than in plots under conventional-tillage (plough). The effect of the plough seems to be more negative than that of one year g reen fallow positive.