The Performance of the DES Sensor for Estimating Soil Bulk Density under the Effect of Different Agronomic Practices

Abstract

The estimation of soil wet bulk density (ρn) and dry bulk density (ρb) using the novel digital electromechanical system (DES) has provided information about important parameters for the assessment of soil quality and health with a direct application for agronomists. The evaluation of the DES performance is particularly appropriate for different tillage methods, mulching systems, and fertilizers used to increase soil fertility and productivity, but currently, there is a lack of information, particularly in the arid areas in underdeveloped countries. Therefore, the main aim of this study was the application of a novel digital electromechanical system (DES) to evaluate bulk density, wet (ρn) and dry (ρb), under different soil treatments according to the variations in thermal efficiencies (ηth), microwave penetration depths (MDP), and specific energy consumption (Qcon) in an experimental area close to Baghdad (Iraq). The experimental design consisted of 72 plots, each 4 m2. The agronomic practices included two different tillage systems (disc plough followed by a spring disk and mouldboard plough followed by a spring disk) and twelve treatments involving mulching plastic sheeting combined with fertilizers, to determine their effect on the measured soil ρn and ρb and the DES performance in different soils. The results indicated that soil ρn and ρb varied significantly with both the tillage systems and the mulching systems. As expected, the soil ρn and ρb, MDP, and Qcon increased with an increase in the soil depth. Moreover, the tillage, soil mulching, and soil depth value significantly affected ηth and Qcon. A strong relationship was identified between the soil tillage and MDP for different soil treatments, leading to the changes in soil ρb and the soil dielectric constant (ε’).

Factors determining the soil available water during the last two decades (1997–2019) in southern Spain

“…C2 (27.3% of the variance) is directly related to the pedological properties. The most stable soils are those that register higher BD, sand, and silt percentages, showing a higher infiltration capacity (Shukla et al 2006;Al-Shammary et al 2020). C3 reaching a 12.8% of the whole variance is related to the torrentiality of the rain, grouping higher percentages of heavy rainfall, rainfall summation of 10 days after the dry season (mm) and evapotranspiration (Boegh et al 2002;Bosch and Hewlett 1982;Domingo et al 1999).…”

Tillage Versus No-Tillage. Soil Properties and Hydrology in an Organic Persimmon Farm in Eastern Iberian Peninsula

“…However, the immediate effect of tillage erosion as a force that redistributes the soil is only one impact among others. Tillage can also change the physical and chemical conditions of the soil system [7][8][9]. Moreover, tillage enhances the detachment of soil particles by raindrop impact and runoff generation due to the bare and usually crusted soils after decades of tillage [10][11][12][13].…”

Editorial of Special Issue "Modern Surveying and Geophysical Methods for Soil and Rock"

“…Considerable progress is also made in applying various methods to assess soil quality. Alshammary et al [9] developed a novel digital electromechanical system (DES) to obtain information about important parameters for the assessment of soil quality and health with a direct application for agronomists. The evaluation of the DES performance is particularly appropriate for different tillage methods, mulching systems, and fertilizers used to increase soil fertility and productivity.…”