Impact of Working Speed on Soil Particles Transfer During Secondary Soil Tillage

Abstract

Displacement of soil particles by erosion can be seen as a major threat to the quality of agricultural land in the conditions of Czech Republic. While the effects of water and wind erosion have long been investigated and reported, the effect of soil tillage technology on soil particles translocation are relatively new area of agriculture research. Soil tillage may contribute to the undesirable translocation of soil particles towards lower-lying parts of fields especially on slopes. The effect of soil tillage implements on soil particle translocation has not been sufficiently explained yet. The object of this research was to assess the influence of different operating speed of power harrow on soil particle translocation during secondary tillage (soil preparation). Measurements to determine the displacement of soil particles were performed in location Nesperská Lhota in the Central Bohemia Region. Measurements were performed on a sandy loam cambisol after harvest spring cereals (oat for sillage production). To indicate displacement of soil particles was used grit of white limestone (size 10-16 mm). Limestone was put down into the trench with known position orthogonal to the direction of working operations. Subsequently were performed working operations in the specified sequence. Limestone particles were counted and weighed in each section. It was detected by measuring the different nature of displacement. Statistical significance of differences in the weight of translocated particles was evaluated for different operating speeds of power harrow from 4.5 to 12 km.h-1.