Researching conservation agriculture for climate change adaptation

Abstract

Conservation agriculture is an agricultural system that significantly contributes to climate change adaptation in many countries around the world. Many farmers in the Republic of Moldova are adopting this system and applying it successfully. Unfortunately, agricultural science has lagged for various reasons. A field experiment was conducted on the lands of the National Centre for Research and Seed Production to identify the main issues in cultivating corn under no-tillage systems compared to traditional agricultural systems. The results were next: the germination of cover crops, both in mixed and pure stands, was successful. The amount of water accumulated in the soil during the autumnwinter period was strongly influenced by soil management methods. The highest amount of water, 126 mm, was recorded in the variant where the soil was covered with plant residues. In the autumn-spring period, the cover crops formed up to 10.5 tons per hectare of above-ground dry biomass. Corn grain production ranged from 2.50 to 5.41 tons per hectare in 2023. The general conclusion was that research in conservation agriculture is highly complex and requires time and resources to be conducted successfully. A new research project has been established. The main objectives have been set, and initial investigations have been carried out. To successfully study conservation agriculture, unique and simple, as well as complex and multifactorial experiments, are necessary, along with the demonstration of result.