Soil infiltration and hydraulic conductivity under long-term no-tillage and conventional tillage systems

Long-term tillage practices may affect crop growth, in part by changing soil hydraulic properties. The hypothesis that long-term no-till (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) practices affect soil infiltration and hydraulic conductivity was evaluated on silt loam and sandy loam soils (both Gray Luvisols). Ponded soil infiltration, water content and marric potential were measured in the field during 1992 and 1993. In most cases, the ponded soil infiltration rates (i) were significantly lower (P ≤ 0.05) under the CT than under the NT for both soils. Total volume of soil pores with radii < 14 μm (micropores) were significantly greater in NT than in CT. Differences in volume of soil pores with radii > 14 μm (macropores) between CT and NT were not significant. For the initial soil moisture conditions ranging from dry to field capacity, the i values were greater by 0 24 to 3 01 cm h−1 in NT than in CT for the silt loam and by 3.30 to 4.13 cm h−1 for the sandy loam. Saturated hydraulic conductivity values were significantly greater in NT (range from 0.36 to 3.0 cm h−1) than in CT (range from 0.26 to 1.06 cm h−1). Unsaturated hydraulic conductivity increased more with increasing matric potential (less negative) in NT than in CT. Long-term NT practices kept soil pore structure and continuity undisturbed, which contributed to significantly greater hydraulic conductivity and infiltration rates in NT than in CT for both soils. Key words: Infiltration, hydraulic conductivity, macroporosity, microporosity, tillage systems

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Effects of No-Tillage and Conventional Tillage on Physical and Hydraulic Properties of Fine Textured Soils under Winter Wheat

Water ◽

10.3390/w11030484 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 484 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Mirko Castellini ◽

Francesco Fornaro ◽

Pasquale Garofalo ◽

Luisa Giglio ◽

Michele Rinaldi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hydraulic Conductivity ◽

Soil Properties ◽

Hydraulic Properties ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Field Capacity ◽

Infiltration Rate ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

No Tillage ◽

Long Term Effects

The conversion from conventional tillage (CT) to no-tillage (NT) of the soil is often suggested for positive long-term effects on several physical and hydraulic soil properties. In fact, although shortly after the conversion a worsening of the soil may occur, this transition should evolve in a progressive improvement of soil properties. Therefore, investigations aiming at evaluating the effects of NT on porous media are advisable, since such information may be relevant to better address the farmers’ choices to this specific soil conservation management strategy. In this investigation, innovative and standard methods were applied to compare CT and NT on two farms where the conversion took place 6 or 24 years ago, respectively. Regardless of the investigated farm, results showed negligible differences in cumulative infiltration or infiltration rate, soil sorptivity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, conductive pores size, or hydraulic conductivity functions. Since relatively small discrepancies were also highlighted in terms of bulk density or soil organic carbon, it was possible to conclude that NT did not have a negative impact on the main physical and hydraulic properties of investigated clay soils. However, a significantly higher number of small pores was detected under long-term NT compared to CT, so we concluded that the former soil was a more conductive pore system, i.e., consisting of numerous relatively smaller pores but continuous and better interconnected. Based on measured capacity-based indicators (macroporosity, air capacity, relative field capacity, plant available water capacity), NT always showed a more appropriate proportion of water and air in the soil.

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Effect of long-term conventional tillage and no-tillage systems on soil and water quality at the field scale

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2002.0678 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 46 (6-7) ◽

pp. 183-190 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

C.S. Tan ◽

C.F. Drury ◽

W.D. Reynolds ◽

J.D. Gaynor ◽

T.Q. Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hydraulic Conductivity ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Drainage Water ◽

Tile Drainage ◽

Production Costs ◽

No Tillage ◽

Field Scale ◽

N Loss ◽

Tillage Systems

No-tillage (NT) is becoming increasingly attractive to farmers because it clearly reduces soil erosion and production costs relative to conventional tillage (CT). However, the impacts of no-tillage on the quantity and quality of tile drainage water are less well known. Accordingly, two adjacent field scale on-farm CT and NT sites were established to compare the impacts of the two tillage systems on tile drainage and NO3-N loss in tile drainage water. The effect of the two tillage systems on soil structure, hydraulic conductivity, and earthworm population were also investigated. The total NO3-N loss in tile drainage water over the 5-yr period (1995-1999) was 82.3 kg N ha−1 for the long-term NT site and 63.7 kg N ha−1 for the long-term CT site. The long-term NT site had 48% more tile drainage (6,975 kL ha−1) than the long-term CT site (4,716 kL ha−1). The average flow weighted mean (FWM) NO3-N concentration in tile drainage water over the 5-yr period was 11.8 mg N L−1 for the NT site and 13.5 mg N L−1 for the CT site. For both tillage systems, approximately 80% of tile drainage and NO3-N loss in tile drainage water occurred during the November to April non-growing season. Long-term NT improved wet aggregate stability, increased near-surface hydraulic conductivity and increased both the number and mass of earthworms relative to long-term CT. The greater tile drainage and NO3-N loss under NT were attributed to an increase in continuous soil macropores, as implied by greater hydraulic conductivity and greater numbers of earthworms.

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Stabilization of soil hydraulic properties under a long term no-till system

Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo ◽

10.1590/s0100-06832014000400024 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 38 (4) ◽

pp. 1281-1292 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Luis Alberto Lozano ◽

Carlos Germán Soracco ◽

Vicente S. Buda ◽

Guillermo O. Sarli ◽

Roberto Raúl Filgueira

Keyword(s):

Hydraulic Conductivity ◽

Physical Properties ◽

Hydraulic Properties ◽

Sandy Loam ◽

Soil Physical Properties ◽

Water Retention Curve ◽

Mean Values ◽

Tillage System ◽

Crop Sequence

The area under the no-tillage system (NT) has been increasing over the last few years. Some authors indicate that stabilization of soil physical properties is reached after some years under NT while other authors debate this. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of the last crop in the rotation sequence (1st year: maize, 2nd year: soybean, 3rd year: wheat/soybean) on soil pore configuration and hydraulic properties in two different soils (site 1: loam, site 2: sandy loam) from the Argentinean Pampas region under long-term NT treatments in order to determine if stabilization of soil physical properties is reached apart from a specific time in the crop sequence. In addition, we compared two procedures for evaluating water-conducting macroporosities, and evaluated the efficiency of the pedotransfer function ROSETTA in estimating the parameters of the van Genuchten-Mualem (VGM) model in these soils. Soil pore configuration and hydraulic properties were not stable and changed according to the crop sequence and the last crop grown in both sites. For both sites, saturated hydraulic conductivity, K0, water-conducting macroporosity, εma, and flow-weighted mean pore radius, R0ma, increased from the 1st to the 2nd year of the crop sequence, and this was attributed to the creation of water-conducting macropores by the maize roots. The VGM model adequately described the water retention curve (WRC) for these soils, but not the hydraulic conductivity (K) vs tension (h) curve. The ROSETTA function failed in the estimation of these parameters. In summary, mean values of K0 ranged from 0.74 to 3.88 cm h-1. In studies on NT effects on soil physical properties, the crop effect must be considered.

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Long-term effect of biochar on soil physical properties of agricultural soils with different textures

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-8588 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Martin Zanutel ◽

Sarah Garré ◽

Charles Bielders

Keyword(s):

Physical Properties ◽

Bulk Density ◽

Water Retention ◽

Particle Density ◽

Sandy Loam ◽

Soil Physical Properties ◽

Term Effect ◽

Silt Loam ◽

Long Term Effect

<p>In the context of global soil degradation, biochar is being promoted as a potential solution to improve soil quality, besides its carbon sequestration potential. Burying biochar in soils is known to effect soil physical quality in the short-term (<5 years), and the intensity of these effects depends on soil texture. However, the long-term effects of biochar remain largely unknown yet and are important to quantify given biochar&#8217;s persistency in soils. The objective of this study was therefore to assess the long-term effect of biochar on soil physical properties as a function of soil texture and biochar concentration.&#160; For this purpose, soil physical properties (particle density, bulk density, porosity, water retention and hydraulic conductivity curves) were measured in the topsoil of three fields with former kiln sites containing charcoal more than 150 years old in Wallonia (southern Belgium).&#160; The fields had a silt loam, loam and sandy loam texture.&#160; Samples were collected along 3 transects in each field, from the center of the kiln sites outwards.&#160;</p><p>Particle density and bulk density slightly decreased as a function of charcoal content. Because particle density and bulk density were affected to a similar extent by charcoal content, total porosity was not affected by the presence of century-old charcoal. Regarding the soil water retention curve, charcoal affected mostly water content in the mesopore range. This effect was strongest for the sandy loam. On the other hand, the presence of century-old charcoal increased significantly the hydraulic conductivity at pF between 1.5 and 2 for the silt loam, while no effect of charcoal was observed for the loamy soil.&#160; The study highlights a limited effect of century-old charcoal on the pore size distribution (at constant porosity) and on the resulting soil physical properties for the range of soils and charcoal concentrations investigated here.&#160; Further research may be needed to confirm the observed trends over a wider range of soil types.&#160;</p>

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Water and bromide movement in a Vertosol under four fallow management systems

Soil Research ◽

10.1071/s97108 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 37 (1) ◽

pp. 75 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

J. E. Turpin ◽

J. P. Thompson ◽

B. J. Bridge ◽

D. Orange

Keyword(s):

Water Movement ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Management Systems ◽

Zero Tillage ◽

Tillage Systems ◽

Fallow Management ◽

Stubble Retention ◽

Tracer Solution ◽

Stubble Burning

Recent work on the Hermitage long-term fallow management found increased rates of anion movement under zero tillage systems compared with conventional tillage. Four separate experiments have been used to determine relative rates of water movement through different fallow management treatments on the Hermitage long-term fallow management trial and the causes of any differences. Photography of the aggregation patterns at the depth of tillage (approx. 15 cm) showed that conventional tillage combined with stubble burning has led to the formation of large massive peds up to 20 cm across below the tillage layer, whereas zero-tillage with stubble retention has maintained much smaller aggregates in this zone. Measurements of hydraulic conductivity at 15 cm under both dry and moist conditions indicated that, when the soil is dry and cracked, all tillage treatments have similar conductivities, but when the soil swells and cracks close, zero tillage–stubble retention maintains a greater volume of large pores and thereby greater conductivity. This effect was further demonstrated when a bromide tracer solution was applied to a relatively wet soil by ring infiltrometer, where only 15% of the solution moved below 15 cm in conventional tillage–stubble burning compared with 26% and 38% in zero tillage{stubble retention. In the final experiment, which followed the movement of surface applied bromide over a 6-month fallow, there were no significant differences in rates of leaching between management treatments.

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Corrigenda - A portable microcomputer-controlled drip infiltrometer. II. Field measurement of sorptivity, hydraulic conductivity and time to ponding

Soil Research ◽

10.1071/sr9850393c ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 23 (3) ◽

pp. 393

Author(s):

BJ Bridge ◽

PJ Ross

Keyword(s):

Hydraulic Conductivity ◽

Surface Soil ◽

Sandy Loam ◽

Application Rate ◽

Variable Rate ◽

Infiltration Rates ◽

Constant Rate ◽

Long Time ◽

Loam Soil ◽

Dry Soil

The lightweight portable drip infiltrometer described in Part I was used to determine the infiltration characteristics of a sandy loam soil. Sorptivity was determined by varying the application rate to maintain surface ponding and by measuring the time to ponding at a constant application rate. Saturated hydraulic conductivity was equated to the long-time steady-state application rate needed to maintain surface ponding. This rate could be determined to a precision of 0.5 �m s-1 (2 mm h-1) and agreed well with core data from 0.5 to 1.0 m depth in the profile. The results obtained were compared with ponded ring infiltrometer measurements. Sorptivities calculated from the ring infiltrometers were greater than those from the variable rate drip infiltrometer which in turn were greater than those from the constant rate drip infiltrometer. This was attributed to the effect of the macropores under the ponded rings and to confining the depth over which sorptivity was measured under constant application rate to the wetter surface soil. In dry soil, the drip infiltrometer measured low initial infiltration rates caused by poor wetting of the soil, but these were not measured by the ponded ring infiltrometers, which had a 50 mm head. In moist soil, poor wettability did not occur. Five equations for calculating sorptivity from measurements of time to ponding under a constant application rate of 8.3 �m s-1 (30 mm h-1) were used and four of these equations agreed within 20%. This was less than the range of sorptivities arising from uncertainties in determining the time to ponding, and the differences between the equations were attributed to the assumptions used in their derivation. It was concluded that any measurement of sorptivity on this soil was difficult to interpret because of non-uniformity in the upper soil profile.

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Long-Term Tillage Effects on Seed Banks in Three Ohio Soils

Weed Science ◽

10.1017/s0043174500071459 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 39 (2) ◽

pp. 186-194 ◽

Cited By ~ 129

Author(s):

John Cardina ◽

Emilie Regnier ◽

Kent Harrison

Keyword(s):

Conventional Tillage ◽

Seed Banks ◽

Soil Disturbance ◽

Silty Clay ◽

Silt Loam ◽

No Tillage ◽

Weed Species ◽

Minimum Tillage ◽

Common Lambsquarters

Soils from long-term tillage plots at three locations in Ohio were sampled to determine composition and size of weed seed banks following 25 yr of continuous no-tillage, minimum-tillage, or conventional-tillage corn production. The same herbicide was applied across tillage treatments within each year and an untreated permanent grass sod was sampled for comparison. Seed numbers to a 15-cm depth were highest in the no-tillage treatment in the Crosby silt loam (77 800 m–2) and Wooster silt loam (8400 m–2) soils and in the grass sod (7400 m–2) in a Hoytville silty clay loam soil. Lowest seed numbers were found in conventional-tillage plots in the Wooster soil (400 m–2) and in minimum-tillage plots in the Crosby (2200 m–2) and Hoytville (400 m–2) soils. Concentration of seeds decreased with depth but the effect of tillage on seed depth was not consistent among soil types. Number of weed species was highest in permanent grass sod (10 to 18) and decreased as soil disturbance increased; weed populations were lowest in conventional tillage in the Hoytville soil. Common lambsquarters, pigweeds, and fall panicum were the most commonly found seeds in all soils. Diversity indices indicated that increased soil disturbance resulted in a decrease in species diversity. Weed populations the summer following soil sampling included common lambsquarters, pigweeds, fall panicum, and several species not detected in the seed bank.

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Sorption of clopyralid, dicamba and MCPA by two soils with conventional and no-till management

Canadian Journal of Soil Science ◽

10.4141/s97-051 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 78 (1) ◽

pp. 181-186 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

C. Shang ◽

M. A. Arshad

Keyword(s):

Crop Production ◽

Sandy Loam ◽

Organic Matter Content ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Matter Content ◽

Tillage Systems ◽

Soil Matrix ◽

Tillage Practices ◽

Soil Systems ◽

The Difference

Sorption is one of the key processes controlling the fate of agrochemicals in soil systems. The sorption of agrochemicals on a soil matrix can be affected by changes in chemical and physical properties caused by different tillage practices. Clopyralid (3,6-dichloro-2-pyridinecarboxylic acid), dicamba (3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid), and MCPA ((4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)acetic acid), weakly acidic herbicides, are commonly used to control broadleaf weeds in crop production. The sorption of the three herbicides by surface soils (0–5 cm) from different tillage systems was studied by batch equilibrium. Of the herbicides used, MCPA was sorbed on soil in the greatest quantity, dicamba was the least sorbed, and the sorption was dependent on the pKa values of herbicides. In a sandy loam soil, more herbicide was sorbed under no-tillage (NT) than conventional tillage (CT). However, in a clay soil the difference in herbicide sorption between the two tillage systems was not consistent. The results can be explained in terms of changes in soil pH and organic matter content. The presence of clopyralid and MCPA lowered the sorption of dicamba, and MCPA was more effective than clopyralid in competing for sorption sites with dicamba. Key words: Herbicide sorption, clopyralid, dicamba, MCPA, tillage

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Secondary seed dormancy prolongs persistence of volunteer canola in western Canada

Weed Science ◽

10.1614/p2002-170 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 51 (6) ◽

pp. 904-913 ◽

Cited By ~ 63

Author(s):

Robert H. Gulden ◽

Steven J. Shirtliffe ◽

A. Gordon Thomas

Keyword(s):

Seed Dormancy ◽

Seedling Recruitment ◽

Seedling Emergence ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

Western Canada ◽

Tillage Systems ◽

Spring Canola ◽

Typical Summer ◽

Different Soils

In western Canada, little is known about the seedbank ecology of volunteer canola. Therefore, integrated recommendations for the management of this weed are limited. In this study, we investigated the seedbank persistence and seedling recruitment of two spring canola genotype groups with different secondary seed dormancy potentials under contrasting tillage systems. The study was conducted at two locations with different soils in the Mixed Moist Grassland ecoregion of Saskatchewan. A single cohort seedbank was established in 1999 and was followed for 3 yr in successive wheat crops. In a separate laboratory study, the six canola genotypes examined were classified as those with high and those with medium potentials for the development of secondary seed dormancy (HD and MD, respectively). After one, two, and three winters, maximum persistence of 44, 1.4, and 0.2% of the original seedbank was observed among the treatments, respectively. In 2001, HD canola genotypes tended to exhibit 6- to 12-fold greater persistence than MD canola genotypes, indicating lower seedbank mortality in HD canola. Seedling recruitment of HD canola also was higher than MD canola when differences were observed between these genotype groups. Therefore, long-term seedbank persistence of canola can be reduced by growing genotypes with low inherent potential for the development of secondary seed dormancy. The proportion of persisting seeds tended to be higher under conventional tillage than under zero tillage because of lower seedbank mortality, but no clear distinction in seedbank persistence in terms of absolute time could be made between these two tillage systems. Volunteer canola seedling recruitment followed the pattern of a typical summer-annual weed, where seedling emergence was observed only during May and June.

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