Skip to main content

Infiltration rate of a sandy loam soil: effects of traffic, tillage, and plant roots

Meek, B.D. and Rechel, E.R. and Carter, L.M. and DeTar, W.R. and Urie, A.L. (1992) Infiltration rate of a sandy loam soil: effects of traffic, tillage, and plant roots. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 56(3):908-913.

[img] PDF
772.pdf

Download (468kB)

Abstract

Settling and trafficking of a soil after tillage causes rapid changes
in the soil physical condition until a new equilibrium is reached. In
the soil studied, a Wasco (coarse-loamy, mixed, nonacid, thermic Typic
Torriorthent) sandy loam, soil compaction reduces infiltration rates,
which under grower conditions could result in inadequate infiltration
of irrigation water to supply crop requirements. Our objective was to
evaluate important management practices as they relate to changes in
the infiltration rate of a sandy loam soil. Factors evaluated were traffic,
tillage between crops, and the formation of channels by roots of perennial
crops. Tillage between crops increased the infiltration rate during
the first part of the season in trafficked soils but decreased or had
no effect on nontrafficked soil. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) increased
the infiltration rate fourfold during a 2-yr period in a heavily compacted
soil. An increase in bulk density from 1.6 to 1.8 Mg m-3
decreased infiltration rate 54% in the field. Hydraulic conductivity of
undisturbed cores was at least seven times larger than that measured
in columns of disturbed soil (same bulk density). This difference is
believed to be the result of natural channels in the undisturbed soil
that are destroyed when the soil is disturbed. Under controlled traffic,
when surface seal is not a problem, tillage will not be necessary to
obtain adequate infiltration rates except in the wheel paths.

Item Type: Article
NWISRL Publication Number: 0772
Subjects: Irrigation > Furrow irrigation > Infiltration
Soil > Tillage
Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User: Dan Stieneke
Date Deposited: 20 Nov 2010 21:53
Last Modified: 01 Dec 2016 22:46
Item ID: 577
URI: https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/577