Cooperative effects of field traffic and organic matter treatments on some compaction-related soil properties

Abstract

Abstract. Soil compaction is common problem of mineral soils under conventional tillage practices. Organic matter addition is an efficient way of reducing the effects of field traffic in soil compaction. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of number of tractor passes (1, 3 and 5) on depth dependent (0–10 and 10–20 cm) penetration resistance, bulk density and porosity of a clay textured soil (Typic Xerofluvent) under organic vegetable cultivation practiced in 2010–2013 growing seasons treated with farmyard manure (35 t FYM ha−1), green manure (GM) (common vetch, Vicia sativa L.) and conventional tillage (C). The number of tractor passes resulted in increases in bulk density and penetration resistance (C > GM > FYM) whereas the volume of total and macro pores decreased. The maximum penetration resistance (3.60 MPa) was recorded in C treatment with 5 passes in 0–10 cm depth whereas the minimum (1.64 MPa) was observed for FYM treatment with 1 pass in 10–20 cm depth. The highest bulk density was determined as 1.61 g cm−3 for C treatment with 5 passes in 10–20 cm depth, the smallest value was 1.25 g cm−3 in the FYM treatment with only 1 pass in 0–10 cm depth. The highest total and macro pores volume were determined as 0.53 and 0.16 cm3 cm−3, respectively, in 0–10 cm depth of FYM treatment with 1 pass. The volume of micro pores (0.38 cm3 cm−3) was higher in 0–10 cm depth of FYM treatment with 3 passes. It can be concluded that organic pre-composted organic amendment rather than green manure was likely to be more efficient in chasing compaction problem in soils.