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Report, 2000

Markfysikaliska studier i långliggande försök med reducerad jordbearbetning: slutrapport, projektnr 9633028

Etana Ararso, Rydberg Tomas, Håkansson Inge

Abstract

The minimum possible soil tillage is an important part of a sustainable crop production system. Research and practice of reduced tillage was originally started mainly to reduce energy and time consumption related to tillage. However, current research and practice of reduced tillage is also aimed at soil and water conservation as well as reduction of nutrient losses from arable land. Research on reduced tillage in Sweden has been conducted for more than two decades. Reduced tillage comprises different tillage systems, which replace the traditional moldboard ploughing. These also include modem plough shares by which depth of ploughing can be reduced to about 10 cm. This report summarizes investigations of soil physical properties in six long-term experiments with reduced tillage. The experiments were 6 to 24 years old at the time of investigation (in 1997 or 1998). In this study, soil physical properties after minimum tillage and conventional ploughing were compared. Soil physical properties investigated include dry bulk density , soil water content during the vegetation period, infiltration, saturated hydraulic conductivity, water holding capacity, air permeability in the field and laboratory, oxygen content of soil air after continuous or heavy rain, and soil temperature. Soil water content during the vegetation period was measured with TDR (Time Domain Reflectometry). The dry bulk density in the lower part of the top soil was greater in plots with reduced tillage than in plots with conventional ploughing. Many of the investigated soil physical properties were improved by reduced tillage. Variation of soil water content was smaller for reduced tillage than for conventional ploughing. This shows that drainage and water holding capacity often were improved, particularly in the heavy soils. crop yield in heavy clays has been improved by reduced tillage. In some cases, A decrease in yield was observed during the initial periods of reduced tillage, but the difference has been minimized with time, which can be attributed to the improvement of soil structure. This improvement, however, may be less pronounced in light soils. A well planned transition from conventional ploughing to reduced tillage, such as loosening of old plough pan and minimizing of infestation by perennial weeds, can minimize yield losses

Keywords

jordbearbetning; reducerad bearbetning; markfysikaliska egenskaper; skrymdensitet; dräneringsförmåga; skördesänkning; vattenhushållning; marktemperatur; lufthushållning

Published in

Rapporter från Jordbearbetningsavdelningen, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
2000, number: 97
Publisher: Institutionen för markvetenskap, Avdelningen för jordbearbetning, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet