Impact of operating temperature of gas transit pipeline on soil quality and production potential of crops

Abstract The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of gas transit pipeline temperature on soil moisture, soil temperature and yield of harvest crops. The study area was located in the village Ivanka pri Nitre (Nitra District, Southwestern Slovakia). Soil type in the site is Orthic Brown Chernozem. Temperature of the transported gas increased the soil temperature in the range of 2.07°C to 3.4°C measured in a depth ranging from 250 mm to 350 mm above the gas lines. The temperature also reduced soil moisture by 1.27‒3.18 percentiles of weight. Yield of the winter wheat grown above the gas lines was higher by 9.40% in 2004 and by 13.06% in 2006. Yield of the sunflower grown above the gas lines was higher by 8.05% in 2005. In treatment 1, organic fertilisation in a dose of 50 t/ha affected the yield of the winter wheat above the gas pipeline and the yield increased by 13.95% in 2004.