THE DEVELOPMENT OF SELECTED PROPERTIES OF HEAVY SOIL AT DIFFERENT TILLAGE

Abstract

Between 2006 and 2010 at the Experimental place of Slovak Agricultural Research Centre – Institute of Agroecology Michalovce a field experiment took place on heavy Gleyic Fluvisol. The effect of various tillage of soil on soil physical properties was researched. Three soil tillage technologies were studied as follows: conventional tillage – it is traditional tillage with plowing; minimal tillage – soil before sowing was prepare by using skive plough-harrow; no-tillage – it is direct sowing without plowing. Field treatment was carried out in natural conditions without irrigation. Physical properties of Gleyic Fluvisol were determined from undisturbed soil samples taken once a year in spring (14-day after sowing of spring crops). Topsoil was sampled in cylinders of 100 cm³ in depth 0.0 – 0.3 m with four replications. Soil bulk density total porosity and maximum capillary capacity were determined. For modelling of the development of soil parameters the trend analysis was used. The development of the trend component was expressed by equation y = a + bx. The trend lines can be assumed as the major trend of the development of selected soil parameters. On Gleyic Fluvisol at direct sowing without ploughing (no-tillage) we ascertained higher bulk density and lower total porosity in comparison with conventional tillage and minimum tillage, too. Maximum capillary capacity was relatively equal and ascertained values were typical for given soil type. From evaluation of 5-years time series influenced significant increasing of bulk density under conventional tillage and direct sowing without ploughing and its decreasing under minimum tillage. The total porosity was lower under conventional tillage and no-tillage variants and higher under minimum tillage variant. Maximum capillary capacity was slightly increasing under conventional and minimum tillage systems, but it was no-significant decreasing under no-till system. The soil protective technologies, minimum tillage and also direct sowing without ploughing, are one method for keeping and conservation of the soil fertility. For their successful is needful application as whole the farming system and the continuity of this system is very important. Using of the protective technologies may also contribute to keeping of stability of ecologically sensitive the heavy soils.