How to fight extreme drought? Extreme drought has posed a significant challenge for Polish farmers for several years. Forecasts remain pessimistic; therefore, it is crucial to regularly maintain soil structure to manage humidity. Utilizing treatments that enhance humus content in the soil is advisable. Maintaining proper soil pH is vital, as acidic soils hinder plants' ability to absorb water and nutrients. Post-harvest cultivation is an effective strategy to prevent water evaporation from the soil. Plant residues left on the soil surface after harvesting act as a natural cover, shielding the soil from direct sunlight and wind, as well as reducing water evaporation. Additionally, post-harvest cultivation helps mitigate soil erosion, especially through ultra-shallow cultivation with Rolmako SpringExpert, ComboTill, or SpeedCutter machines. This practice supports the soil's water retention capacity. Proper fertilization is another method to address dry soil, as well-nourished plants require less water and exhibit better growth. Some farmers also opt for crop varieties that are resistant to water deficits, one of the most effective strategies for safeguarding entire plantations against extreme drought.

Moist soil cultivation
Before beginning cultivation, it is essential to assess soil moisture carefully. The soil should ideally be dry enough to avoid forming clods, yet moist enough to be easily shaped by hand. For wet soil, shallow and delicate tools such as the SpeedCutter harrow or surface cultivators like ComboTill are more suitable than deep cultivation. If soil moisture is on the verge of being cultivable but cultivation is necessary, a disc harrow is preferable as it smears the soil less than a grubber. A heavy roller in a disc harrow can damage the topsoil structure; a string roller is less destructive than a heavier ring or rubber roller. In wetter conditions, cultivate the soil more shallowly to prevent compacting near the working elements, which can hinder root growth. Avoid subsoiling or using a cultivator to depths of 25-30 cm in such conditions.

Soil compaction is the reduction of pores
In wet conditions, soil compaction is facilitated. Compressing it by 6 cm results in a loss of 600 m3 of soil pores (air, assuming they constitute 50% of all pores), leading to a reduction in the soil's capacity to store 300 m3/ha of water.

Cultivation of dry soil
Similarly to excessively moist soil, cultivating overly dry soil can also deteriorate its structure. Generally, drier soil can be cultivated at greater depths than more humid soil. The objective is to loosen the soil to enhance its water absorption during rainfall. Water stagnation in fields is most noticeable when heavy rainfall follows a dry period. If dry soil is not compacted and contains air pores, water will penetrate deeper and more rapidly compared to a compacted soil with fewer air pores. For instance, a disc harrow is ineffective for cultivating dry soil, particularly heavy soil. A no-plough cultivator, such as the Rolmako U436, with dismantled side blades for post-harvest cultivation, is a more suitable option, allowing for greater working depth. However, this method results in higher fuel consumption and faster wear of the cultivator's working parts. Dry areas can also be subsoiled using equipment like the Rolmako U602 universal subsoiler or the U624 chisel plough. It is crucial to compact the soil during the roller pass, as the soil "opened" by the subsoiler tines quickly loses its remaining water and must be closed again. For chisel ploughs, a double spiked roller works well, while for subsoilers, optional rollers such as the Twin Disc, Packer roller, or the spiked roller are effective. Deeper cultivation of dry soil increases the risk of uprooting clods of dry earth, which are difficult to break up during pre-sowing cultivation. If this cannot be achieved in the initial procedure, it can be done additionally with a Rolmako roller, such as the Cambridge or the ORION prismatic roller, for leveling the field and breaking up clods just before or even after sowing. This ensures that seeds have sufficient contact with the soil.

Ultra-shallow cultivation - learn how to retain moisture in the soil
Ultra-shallow cultivation is a valuable solution for farmers dealing with significant water losses in soil. This technology involves mixing crop residues with the soil to prevent water evaporation. Specialized agricultural machines and tools are required for ultra-shallow cultivation. Optimal choices include the SpringExpert mulch harrow, SpeedCutter disc harrow, ComboTill cultivation combination, and various Rolmako knife rollers. Opting for ultra-shallow cultivation is an excellent decision, especially for those seeking improved outcomes while reducing costs. This system reduces fuel consumption and chemical expenditures. Additionally, it enhances soil conditions, leading to better yields. Ultra-shallow cultivation positively impacts soil's physical properties and improves water filtration.

This cultivation method is employed post-harvest to swiftly and shallowly break the stubble, thereby interrupting evaporation and stimulating the emergence of self-seeding and weeds. It may be performed twice consecutively, with an interval of approximately a dozen days, to eradicate subsequent emerging weeds. Specialized machines can operate at high speeds of 15-25 km/h.

The Rolmako machines available for use here are:
- SpringExpert mulching harrow - this machine does not cut the stubble but mixes it to a depth of 2-3 cm. The drier the site, the less effective the mixing. The advantage lies in excellent straw distribution over the stubble, high work efficiency, and low power demand.

- The TurboCut knife roller - effectively chops straw and crop residues, particularly for thick-stemmed species such as corn, sunflower, or rapeseed. It mixes the soil efficiently at a depth of 3 cm and demonstrates high work efficiency.

- Matrix rotary hoe - this device, equipped with rotating stars, facilitates efficient soil mixing up to 4 cm without undercutting the stubble, thereby reducing water evaporation from the ground.

- SpeedCutter disc harrow - cuts and mixes stubble at 3 cm. Small-diameter wavy discs operating at speeds of 15 km/h achieve high peripheral speed, resulting in an aggressive impact on the soil. The cutting effect is superior to the mixing effect; however, it efficiently produces mulch from straw or catch crops.

Cultivating soil that is at the limits of its moisture potential presents a significant challenge for many farmers. Overly wet soil can be difficult to manage, leading to compaction, crusting, and oxygen deprivation for plant roots. Excessive moisture during cultivation can also degrade soil structure, negatively impacting its capacity to retain water and air, ultimately affecting plant health.

Give up the plow, and you won't have to wait long for the results
The plough-based cultivation system is time-consuming, energy-intensive, and ineffective for large-area crops in extreme drought conditions. Consequently, Polish farmers are increasingly abandoning plough cultivation due to its high costs. Plough cultivation demands timely ploughing and waiting for soil to settle, making it more time-consuming and financially burdensome. For multi-hectare crops, it proves unprofitable. Ploughing causes significant water loss, especially when done in full sun. Additionally, earthworms, which aerate the soil and facilitate nutrient movement, are negatively impacted by ploughing. Abandoning the plough benefits the growth of these useful creatures. To optimize non-plough cultivation, select the best agricultural machinery that performs multiple tasks in one pass, such as using a tractor's front linkage, a fertiliser cultivator, and combining sowing and cultivation.

In drought conditions, robust machinery is required
The farmer gains insight into the value and cultivation capabilities of machines during dry years. Periods of drought and low rainfall present significant challenges for farmers and their agricultural equipment, as dry soil becomes more difficult to cultivate. In these conditions, the robustness and capabilities of cultivation machines are particularly crucial. Rolmako cultivation machines feature solid and heavy structures, which is advantageous in dry, challenging conditions. Models designed for heavy cultivation tasks from Rolmako are noted for their intense pressure on the cultivated soil, such as the heavy stubble harrow U671, disc harrow U652, multifunctional cultivation cultivator U436, chisel plough U624, or the BigField series of cultivation machines, which achieve cultivation effects unattainable by lighter competitive agricultural solutions. When planning to purchase a tillage machine, it is essential to consider the materials used in its construction; in extreme conditions, there is a high probability that light machine elements or those made of low-grade steel will fail and incur additional costs. Therefore, when investing in tillage equipment, it is prudent to consider Rolmako devices, which utilize high-quality S500 and S700 sheets and advanced machining methods, ensuring their reliability in the most severe drought conditions. These machines have consistently demonstrated their effectiveness in various agricultural sectors, including Germany, France, Spain, Ukraine, Canada, and Australia.

Strip-Till - Strip tillage as an effective method of water management during droughts
Strip-Till, or strip tillage, is a cultivation system originating from the United States that is gaining popularity in Poland. This method involves cultivating only the rows where plants are sown. Despite appearing simple in theory, it is complex in practice but worth the effort. Strip-tillage machines are sophisticated units performing multiple tasks in a single pass: loosening the soil, sowing the fertilizer, planting, gathering the soil, and pressing it down. The primary advantage of Strip-Till is its time efficiency, as multiple treatments are performed in one pass.

Let us not overlook fertilization during drought
In challenging soil conditions, various solutions are sought to enhance soil quality. Natural and organic fertilization can improve plant nutrition and consequently the soil itself. Soil microorganisms enhance soil structure and positively impact water infiltration. It is also crucial to regularly supply carbon to the soil. This can be achieved using natural fertilizers, green fertilizers, various types of compost, or crop residues. However, it is important to note that artificial fertilizers do not function in the same way as natural ones and solely nourish plants.

Summary
Extreme drought poses a significant challenge in agriculture. Nevertheless, Polish farmers adeptly manage this issue by adapting cultivation practices to challenging climatic conditions and employing modern agricultural machinery. Techniques such as ultra-shallow cultivation, no-plough cultivation with a cultivator or chisel plough, and Strip-Till safeguard plantations from adverse weather effects. While the choice of cultivation method is at the discretion of the landowner, many Polish farmers achieve increasingly better results using these techniques. A diverse array of machines helps reduce fertilization costs and handle adverse environmental conditions effectively. Selecting the right tools greatly enhances land efficiency, making it crucial to invest in solutions from reputable manufacturers. Rolmako cultivation machines are highly regarded by farmers both domestically and internationally. Their range includes disc harrows, cultivators, no-plough cultivators, chisel ploughs, subsoilers, and rollers for soil leveling. Investing in Rolmako products yields significant returns, with noticeable improvements in both field productivity and financial outcomes. Farmers particularly value robust cultivation machines for dealing with dry summers, as these tools are indispensable for maintaining efficiency and increasing crop resilience to extreme weather conditions.