Compaction of a Clay Loam Soil in Pannonian Region of Croatia Under Different Tillage Systems
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J. Agr. Sci. Tech. (2017) Vol. 19: 475-486 Compaction of a Clay Loam Soil in Pannonian Region of Croatia under Different Tillage Systems I. Bogunovic 1*, and I. Kisic 1 ABSTRACT Many farmers periodically use deep tillage operations to alleviate compaction in the soil profile caused by natural factors or machinery traffic. In 2012 and 2013, a study was initiated in the Pannonian region of Croatia to study the effects of No-Tillage (NT), Conventional Tillage (CT), and Deep Tillage (DT) on soil compaction, measured by Bulk Density (BD), Soil Water Content (SWC), Penetration Resistance (PR) and Total Soil Porosity (TSP). The experiment was conducted on Pseudogley (Stagnosol). The results showed that DT was superior to CT and NT treatments. DT caused least soil physical degradation, with BD being in the following order: DT< NT< CT. Soil water depletion under NT treatment was confined more to the upper soil layers than under DT and CT. Under the CT treatment, the PR values indicate the occurrence of impermeable layers at depths greater than 25 cm in wet conditions (2012) and at depths greater than 10 cm in dry conditions (2013). NT did not differ significantly from tilled treatments in soil compaction measured by BD , providing an interesting alternative for soil management. Perennial ploughing should be avoided as the only long term soil management strategy, while additional strategies which include controlled traffic and soil loosening every 1-2 years should be implemented on Pseudogley in Pannonian Croatia. Keywords : Bulk density, Penetration resistance, Pseudogley, Soil water content, Total soil porosity. INTRODUCTION Regardless of the mentioned limitations Pseudogley is widely used in agricultural The Pannonian region is the most production. The total area under Pseudogley important and largest agricultural region of in Croatia amounts to 540,554 ha and it Croatia, with highly developed intensive represents the second most frequent soil type in Croatia (Bogunovi ć et al ., 1998). Indeed, Downloaded from jast.modares.ac.ir at 0:41 IRST on Tuesday September 28th 2021 arable farming and high yields of all crops (Basic, 2013). Pseudogley is the most 55% of Croatian Pseudogleys comprise widespread soil in the western part of the agricultural land or agro-ecosystems region. Pseudogley is a soil that largely (Husnjak et al ., 2011). High soil strength correlates with Stagnosol (IUSS Working from machinery traffic, the existence of Group WRB, 2006). It is generally plough pans or pedogenetic compacted soil characterized by unfavourable physical, layers impedes plant growth (Javadi and chemical, and biological properties. With the Spoor, 2006; Loghavi and Khadem, 2006; presence of a natural (pedogenic) poorly Rashidi et al. , 2007) and reduces yield of et al. permeable horizon in the profile of crops (Barzegar , 2005; Yousuf, 2006) Pseudogley, water movement (stagnation like maize, winter wheat, soybean and during rainfall and capillary rise during dry oilseed rape, which are a part of usual crop period) is the main challenge of this soil. rotation in Pannonian region of Croatia. _____________________________________________________________________________ 1Department of General Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetosimunska 25, Zagreb, Croatia. *Corresponding author; e-mail: [email protected] 475 _________________________________________________________________ Bogunovic and Kisic Conventional tillage systems dominate in and Hajabbasi (2010) found that at surface Croatia and are mostly based on mouldboard layers no-tillage and conventional tillage had ploughing in autumn and disking before no significant bulk density differences, seeding in autumn (winter crops) or spring while in other resaerch, bulk density at soil (spring crops) (Bogunovic et al ., 2014), surface was greater in no-tillage (Hill, 1990; although some farmers perform subsoiling Hubbard et al ., 1994; Tebrügge and Düring, after winter cereal harvest. The high soil 1999). These inconsistencies can be found strength of Pseudogley can be reduced, and regardless of the climatic conditions and soil yield improved, through deep tillage type. Furthermore, bulk density and soil (Butorac et al ., 1981). The positive effects water content are the most important factors of deep tillage may be seen for years affecting penetration resistance (Cassel, afterward (Varsa, 1997) or can diminish 1982; Campbell and O'Sullivan, 1991). In after one or two seasons (Dı az-Zoritá et al ., several studies, comparing tilled and direct 2002; Chan et al ., 2006).The duration of the drilled soils, greater penetration resistance effects mostly depends on tillage tool was found under no-tillage (Hajabbasi, differences, soil type, machinery traffic, 2010; Kahlon et al ., 2013), while Franzen et annual tillage operations and cumulative al . (1994) observed significantly smaller rainfall. Furthermore, current trends in penetration resistance values under no tillage central Europe include the adoption of down to 10 cm soil depth due to retention of conservation tillage wherever soil and agro- crop residues. ecological conditions allow that kind of The majority of farmers still have management. Conservation tillage includes prejudices against no-tillage mainly because any tillage or sowing system that maintains loosening soil compaction, phosphorus mix at least 1/3 of the soil covered with crop and redistribution and incorporating lime are residue after planting (ASAE Standard seen as good reasons to deep rip. On the 1993). This mostly includes non-inversion other hand, periodic use of deep tillage and tillage systems like chisel ploughing and reliance on residual effects is still an sowing directly into dead mulch. A unreliable method of soil tillage on continuous no-tillage system on Pseudogley Pseudogley. Adoption of soil management is still an unexplored and underutilized systems that are different from conventional method of soil management. tillage, and their influence on the soil Conservation tillage practices can impact physical state, are poorly understood on soil physical properties such as bulk density, Pseudogley in agroecological conditions of Downloaded from jast.modares.ac.ir at 0:41 IRST on Tuesday September 28th 2021 total porosity, hydraulic conductivity, Pannonian Croatia. Therefore, this study was aggregate stability and penetration conducted to investigate the effects of resistance, both positively and negatively. different types of tillage operations on soil For example, Gomez et al . (2001) found Bulk Density (BD), Penetration Resistance that, after 5 years of conventional tillage, a (PR), Soil Water Content (SWC), and Total clay loam soil had lower aggregate stability Soil Porosity (TSP) in a field that had been than no-tillage. Also, Manyiwa and Dikinya in continuous maize - winter wheat - (2014) found that no-tillage had 7% lower soybean - barley - oilseed rape production bulk density than conventional tillage in for many years. The objective of this study sandy loam Chromic Luvisols. was to: (1) Determine which tillage system Bulk density is considered to be a measure would produce the most optimal soil of soil quality due to its relationships with physical properties and provide the best other properties. For instance, bulk density water conservation possibilities, and (2) To is inversely related to total porosity, which develop regression equations to relate gives us an idea of the pore space available penetration resistance to soil properties in the soil for air and water movement. under these three tillage systems. Arshad et al . (1999), Ferreras et al . (2000), 476 Soil Compaction under Different Tillage Systems _________________________________ MATERIALS AND METHODS disturbance except for sowing using a John Deere 750A NT seeder. Sowing was The experiment was conducted in the performed up and down the slope. Weeds were controlled with total and pre- Pannonian Croatia region at 45 ° 56' N, 17 ° emergence herbicides; (CT) Ploughing 02' E; altitude of 129 m above sea level; across the slope – autumn mouldboard slope of 9%. The soil was a poorly drained ploughing (30 cm depth) across the slope clay loam Pseudogley on slopes (Škori ć, followed with one pass of a tandem disk 1986) or Stagnosol (IUSS Working Group harrow to a depth of 15 cm. Other WRB, 2006) with organic matter ranging operations, depending on the crop and from 16 g kg -1 at the 0-24 cm depth to 6 g seedbed preparation, were also performed kg -1 at 35-95 cm depth. Basic soil properties across the slope; (DT) Ploughing across the are given in Table 1. The climate is semi- slope with subsoiling – annual operations humid with average annual precipitation of were similar to CT system. Every 3-4 years 878 mm and average annual temperature of in the summer period, when crop rotation 10.6 °C (Meteorological and Hydrological allowed for it, deep loosening to a depth of Institute of Croatia). During the research 50 cm was performed using a V-frame 7 period, in 2012 and 2013 annual rainfall was shank subsoiler. The last subsoiling less than 78 and 81% of the long-term mean, operation before measuring the data respectively. Great variation in distribution presented in this study was performed on was also noticeable. In 2012, rainfall in July 29, 2011. Cultural practices for each summer months (June–September) was 162 growing season in the study area were as mm lower and made only 46% of long term follows: ploughing (November 18, 2011; average precipitation. In 2013, a shortage October 25 2012);