In 2024, at the emergence stage, the productive moisture reserves with chisel tillage (30–35 cm) were 241.8 mm vs. 232.4 mm with traditional plowing (20–22 cm). In the dry conditions of 2025, these indicators decreased; however, the chisel tillage provided higher values at the emergence stage (203.4 vs. 197.6 mm). The soil density was lower with chisel tillage (1.13–1.28 g/cm³) than with plowing (1.15–1.29 g/cm³), revealing a more stable agrophysical condition. With chisel tillage and plowing and no fertilizers in 2024, the barley yield was 2.83 and 2.61 t/ha, respectively, while in 2025, the yield was 1.31 and 1.21 t/ha, respectively. Application of mineral fertilizer (N₆₀P₆₀) provided an increase of 0.62–0.95 t/ha in 2024 and 0.36–0.44 t/ha in 2025, while the growth stimulator (Beres Amino Max) further enhanced grain yield (4.34 and 4.03 t/ha). The determination of grain yield formation came primarily from crop seasons (80.0%) and fertilizers (16.6%), with a lesser influence of soil cultivation (2.07%).

Keywords: Tillage methods, soil water-physical properties, spring barley (H. vulgare L.), grain yield, soil density, climate change, drought stress conditions

Key findings: The integration of chisel tillage with mineral nutrition and growth stimulator provided higher and more stable yields of spring barley (H. vulgare L.) than in traditional plowing, especially under water-deficit conditions and climatic instability.