Assessing the effects of different tillage systems on selected physical and chemical properties of a silty clay loam soil under different field conditions in the Czech Republic

Abstract

Under the recent water‐limiting crisis on farmlands in the Czech Republic, more sustainable approaches to improve water infiltration and suction within the soil layer useful for plant growth is crucial. This study sought to explore changes induced by applied tillage system, and time after tillage (considering two field conditions; at crop maturity when the soil had consolidated long after tillage, and after tillage and seeding operations). The tillage systems investigated were reduced tillage (RT), occasional tillage (OT), no tillage (NT) and conventional tillage (CT). Soil properties at 0–30 cm depth analysed were dry bulk density, soil organic matter content, saturated volumetric water content and saturated hydraulic conductivity. After the tillage and seeding operations, soil organic matter increased on all conservation tillage plots (RT, OT and NT) but decreased under CT. Insignificant changes in dry bulk density were observed on the conservation tillage plots, whereas CT reduced dry bulk density by 15.3%. Saturated hydraulic conductivity fluctuated significantly under OT and CT, while remaining stable under RT and NT. Generally, significant variability in organic matter influenced changes in saturated volumetric water content and saturated hydraulic conductivity. Changes in dry bulk density on all the tilled plots (RT, OT, and CT) did not show any significant relationship with saturated volumetric water content. Likewise, no significant relationship between changes in bulk density and saturated hydraulic conductivity on all plots were observed. While organic matter improvements under OT positively correlated with saturated volumetric water content, its seasonal dynamics under saturated hydraulic conductivity can be further studied. CT causes high instabilities in both saturated volumetric water content and saturated hydraulic conductivity leading to impaired characteristics during the soil's consolidated state.