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.