The objective of the study carried out over 1999-2002 on good rye soil complex soil was to evaluate the effect of fertilisation with straw, cultivation of stubble intercrops and the method of placing plant biomass in soil by varied tillage on some properties of soil arable layer in the crop-rotation link: winter wheat – spring barley. The fertilisation with straw decreased the mineral nitrogen concentration in soil in autumn. As a result of a less deep post-harvest tillage and abandoning the pre-winter tillage, soil moisture decreased, while the soil compaction as well as weed infestation of the successive crop increased. The cultivation of intercrops usually limited the weed infestation and the amount of mineral nitrogen in soil, especially with a rainfall deficit, the soil compactness could increase and its moisture – decrease. The cultivation of winter rye in stubble intercrop, with no pre-winter tillage, is limited as it leads to unfavourable changes in the topsoil properties in spring.

151-163