Scientific Journal of KubSAU

Issues related to the use of combined aggregates in soil preparation are relevant and of scientific and practical interest. The relevance is increased when it comes to the cultivation of the main crop – winter wheat. In this regard, the presented results on the efficiency of using combined aggregates in preparing soil for winter crops are important primarily from a practical point of view. Experimental studies were conducted in the conditions of long-term stationary experience in the Federal state budgetary institution «Agrarian Science Center «Donskoy», Zernograd, Rostov region. The article considers the efficiency of using the combined unit APK-4, developed in "SKNIIMESH" now Federal state research institution of the «Agrarian Science Center «Donskoy» in the cultivation of winter wheat. The structural and technological scheme of a combined unit, the technological process of which consists of several technological operations performed at the same time, is justified. Disk working bodies crush plant residues and destroy weeds. This creates a network of cracks in the underlying soil horizons. Next, there are flat-cutting working bodies that loosen the soil to a set depth. The root system of weeds is pruned, the remaining loosened soil layer is loosened to the required depth, the formation of a smooth bottom of the "furrow", and the separation of erosive soil particles to the bottom of the furrow. Next, the roller starts working – a lump-crushing sealer, which provides crushing of soil lumps on the surface and sub-compaction of the treated layer. The last in the technological chain is a mulching roller, which provides the formation of a compacted seedbed for seeds with simultaneous mulching of the compacted soil layer. The use of the combined unit in the technology of winter wheat cultivation allowed to reduce the number of technological operations by 1,5-2,5 times, increase the productivity of winter wheat by 11-13% and the cost of production by 10,4-18,3 %