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Coordinated and published by The Grassroots Institute, the Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources (GJNR) is an international journal dedicated to the latest advancements in natural resources throughout the world. The goal of this journal is to provide a platform for scientists, social scientists, policy analysts, managers and practitioners (on all academic and professional levels) all over the world to promote, discuss and share various new issues and developments in different arenas of natural resources.
Oleh Prysiazhniuk*1, Nadiia Kononiuk2, Mykola Cherniak3, Tamara Shevchenko4,
Viktoriia Voitovska5, Yurii Daniuk6, Maksym Daniuk7, Nataliia Klymovych8, Vitalii Prykhodko9
1Institute of Bioenergy Crops & Sugar Beet, National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine.
Email: ollpris@gmail.com | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4639-424X
2Institute of Bioenergy Crops and Sugar Beet, NAAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine.
Email: nadiyakononuk@ukr.net | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5313-4999
3Institute of Bioenergy Crops and Sugar Beet, NAAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine.
Email: cherniak@ukr.net | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4718-5978
4National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine; Institute of Potato Research, Nemyshaevo, Ukraine.
Email: nova_naan@ukr.net | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9488-0325
5Institute of Bioenergy Crops and Sugar Beet, NAAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine.
Email: voitovska@ukr.net | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5538-461X
6Ukrainian Institute of Plant Variety Examination, Kyiv, Ukraine.
Email: sknatl@ukr.net | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8698-2161
7Institute of Bioenergy Crops and Sugar Beet NAAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine.
Email: sknatl@ukr.net | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6048-1772
8Uman National University of Horticulture, Uman, Ukraine.
Email: klymovych@ukr.net | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6373-8534
9Uman National University of Horticulture, Uman, Ukraine.
Email: prykhodko@ukr.net | ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6076-3208
*Corresponding author
Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, 9(1): 162-182. Doi: https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.090108
Received: 06 February 2026
Reviewed: 06 February 2026
Provisionally Accepted: 09 April 2026
Revised: 12 April 2026
Finally Accepted: 17 April 2026
Published: 30 April 2026
A field assessment of soil CO2 flux, an estimate of soil-carbon sequestration potential through humification, and the agronomic effects of drone-sown stubble cover crops (white mustard and oilseed radish) after winter wheat was conducted in the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. N2O and CH4 fluxes were not measured; the climatic estimate is therefore a partial, CO2-based balance, not a complete greenhouse-gas assessment. The study covers a six-year period (2020–2025) with contrasting weather conditions (HTC 0.26–1.28). Three seeding rates were investigated: 20, 15, and 10 kg/ha. Sowing was performed using an agricultural drone without prior tillage; species were sown in a mixture, and results were pooled across both crucifers. The average green biomass yield of cover crops was 15.0, 9.2, and 4.8 t/ha at seeding rates. Soil CO2 emissions under green manuring (34.4–43.1 kg/ha/h) were 17–34% lower compared to ploughing (51.9 kg/ha/h). Nutrient input at the 20 kg/ha rate comprised: N – 63 kg/ha, P2O5 – 13.5 kg/ha, K2O – 72 kg/ha; mineral fertilizer savings amounted to UAH 4,140/ha. Cover crops reduced weed density by 50–75% and the seed bank by 18–35%. The partial, CO2-based climatic effect of green manuring relative to ploughing was +6.8–12.8 t CO2-eq/ha. The largest CO2-based mitigation (+12.8 t CO2-eq/ha) was obtained at 10 kg/ha through reduced rhizosphere respiration, whereas the highest agronomic benefits (biomass, nutrient input, weed suppression) were obtained at 20 kg/ha. The two optima therefore reflect a clear climate–agronomy trade-off rather than a single universal recommendation. Drone-sown stubble cover crops are nevertheless an effective regional practice for reducing the CO2-related footprint of post-wheat fallow on Ukrainian chernozems.
Stubble cover crops; CO2 emissions; Carbon balance; Carbon sequestration; Nutrient cycling; Weeds; Right-Bank Forest-Steppe
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Prysiazhniuk, O., Kononiuk, N., Cherniak, M., Shevchenko, T., Voitovska, V., Daniuk, Y., Daniuk, M., Klymovych, N., & Prykhodko, V. (2026). Soil CO2 Flux and Agronomic Effects of Stubble Cover Crops (White Mustard and Oilseed Radish) Drone-Sown after Winter Wheat in the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, 9(1), 162-182. https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.090108
Prysiazhniuk O., Kononiuk N., Cherniak M., Shevchenko T., Voitovska V., Daniuk Y., Daniuk M., Klymovych N., Prykhodko V. Soil CO2 Flux and Agronomic Effects of Stubble Cover Crops (White Mustard and Oilseed Radish) Drone-Sown after Winter Wheat in the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, 2026, 9 (1), 162-182. https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.090108
Prysiazhniuk, Oleh, Kononiuk, Nadiia, Cherniak, Mykola, Shevchenko, Tamara, Voitovska, Viktoriia, Daniuk, Yurii, Daniuk, Maksym, Klymovych, Nataliia, Prykhodko, Vitalii. 2026. “Soil CO2 Flux and Agronomic Effects of Stubble Cover Crops (White Mustard and Oilseed Radish) Drone-Sown after Winter Wheat in the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine”. Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, 9 no. 1: 162-182. https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.090108
Prysiazhniuk, Oleh, Nadiia Kononiuk, Mykola Cherniak, Tamara Shevchenko, Viktoriia Voitovska, Yurii Daniuk, Maksym Daniuk, Nataliia Klymovych and Vitalii Prykhodko. 2026. “Soil CO2 Flux and Agronomic Effects of Stubble Cover Crops (White Mustard and Oilseed Radish) Drone-Sown after Winter Wheat in the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine”. Grassroots Journal of Natural Resources, 9 (1): 162-182. https://doi.org/10.33002/nr2581.6853.090108
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