Economic and energetic evaluation of sustainable tillage and cereal sowing technologies in Lithuania

Traditional tillage and sowing technologies that involve application of shellboards and intensive soil loosening machinery are destructive to soil, its characteristics, biodiversity, soil erosion, water pollution, etc. Application of sustainable tillage and sowing machinery may significantly reduce invasion into natural soil processes and, by this, improve economical and energetical efficiency of cereal growing technologies. Conventional technology of cereal sowing requires about 1,36 h ha1 for tillage and sowing, while, in comparison, sustainable tillage and sowing technologies take 20 to 49 % less working time. In Lithuania fuel consumption for direct sowing is about 6,25 1 ha'1; in the case of sustainable tillage and sowing technology application fuel input increases 2-4 times, in the case of conventional technology application - up to S times. In Lithuania expenses for direct sowing and sustainable tillage and sowing technologies are by 66 - 188 Lt ha"1 (from 19 to 54 EUR ha'1) lower than those for conventional cereal tillage and sowing technologyVytauto Didžiojo universitetasŽemės ūkio akademij