Changing the Biological Activity of Soil in Sunflower Crops

The current problem of the research is the justification of the application of intensive technologies for sunflower cultivation using progressive methods of obtaining a highly productive crop based on the principles of resource conservation, biologization and ecologization. The objective is the study of toxicity and biological activity of soil after sowing sunflower. Our aim was to determine the biological activity and toxicity of soil and the comparative influence of agricultural practices in studying soil toxicity. When determining the toxicity of the soil, it was concluded that at the beginning of the study, favourable conditions for crop development were formed on soils processed by moldboard cultivation. An increase in soil toxicity was observed with zero tillage. This was expressed in a decrease in seed germination and the mass of sprouts. During a repeated study in 2024, the toxicity of the soil with zero tillage decreased, and seed germination increased by an average of 5–8%. As a result of the accumulation of plant residues on the soil surface, an upper humus layer is formed, leading to constant penetration of air into the soil.