Short-Term Tillage and Residue Management Impact on Physical Properties of a Reclaimed Sodic Soil

Abstract

Water is the most limiting factor for crop production both in dry land and irrigated farming. A better understanding of the long-term impact of tillage and residue management systems on soil structure and water infiltration is necessary for development of conservation tillage practices to improve water-use efficiency. The objectives of this study were to assess the influence of conventional tillage with one-third residue incorporation (T1); Farmers’ practice of tillage with full residue removal (T2); zero-tillage with one- third residue retention (T3); zero-tillage with full residue retention using turbo seeder (T4) on soil properties and soil water transmission characteristics in a winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cultivars KRL 213 and HD 2894) under tillage and residue management practices. Soil physical properties were studied in the top 0-15 and 15-30 cm depth during April 2011 after one year under the four tillage and residue management treatments. In both the soil layers, soil water availability increased in T4 treatment compared to other treatments. The decline of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (Kθ) and soil-water diffusivity (Dθ) was very sharp in T2 treatment (farmers’ practice) as compared to zero-tillage with full residue retention (T4). Tillage and residue management had no significant effect on water retention characteristics (hθ) in both the soil layers. In addition, plant drainable water, available water and residual water content were greater in T4 treatment as compared to rest of the treatments. The improved soil physical parameters viz., soil water retention, unsaturated hydraulic conductivity and diffusivity from this one year experiment indicated that zero-tillage with residue retention is a promising agro-practice for sustaining the soil physical health in Indo-Gangetic Plains of India.