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Water is the most limiting factor for crop production in dryland farming. A better understanding of the long-term impact of tillage and residue management systems on soil structure and water infiltration is necessary for the further development of conservation tillage practice to improve water use efficiency. The objectives of this study were to assess the influence of no-till with residue retention (NT) and conventional (plough) tillage with residue removal (CT) on soil properties and soil water transmission characteristics in a winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) monoculture system in Shanxi, on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Soil physical parameter measurements were made in the top 30 cm depth in September 2007 after 16 years under the two tillage treatments. Compared with CT treatment, NT significantly (P < 0.05) reduced soil bulk density (7.1%) in the 20-30 cm soil layer, and increased macroporosity (>60 µm, 17.0%) and saturated hydraulic conductivity (249%) in the 15-30 cm soil layer. There were no significant differences in these soil physical properties between tillage systems in the 0-15 cm layer. In addition, plant available water and water infiltration rate were greater in the NT treatment. The improved soil quality parameters and water infiltration from this long-term experiment indicate that no-tillage with residue retention is a promising farming system for the dryland farming areas of northern China.

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