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Response of soil structure and hydraulic conductivity to reduced tillage and animal manure in a temperate loamy soil
Author(s) -
Bottinelli N.,
MenasseriAubry S.,
Cluzeau D.,
Hallaire V.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
soil use and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.709
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1475-2743
pISSN - 0266-0032
DOI - 10.1111/sum.12049
Subject(s) - macropore , loam , tillage , soil structure , bulk density , manure , hydraulic conductivity , agronomy , soil science , environmental science , soil water , zoology , chemistry , biology , mesoporous material , biochemistry , catalysis
We studied the combined effects of reduced tillage and animal manure on soil structure and hydraulic conductivity ( K ) in the 2–10 and 12–20 cm layers in a loamy soil. The study was performed at the end of a 7‐yr field trial and included three tillage treatments (mouldboard ploughing until 25 cm depth: MP, shallow tillage until 12 cm depth: ST, no‐till: NT) and two fertilizer application treatments (mineral or poultry manure). Soil structure was assessed through bulk density ( ρ b ), micromorphological and macropore‐space characteristics. K was measured in situ at −0.6, −0.2 and −0.05 kPa. Untilled layers had a vermicular microstructure resulting from earthworm activity, whereas tilled layers displayed a mixture of crumb and channel microstructures. Untilled layers had the highest ρ b and twice as much lower total macroporosity area (pores > 240 μm in equivalent diameter) than tilled layers, reflected by the smallest area of macropores 310–2000 μm in diameter and the smallest area of large complex macropores. K under untilled layers was 12–62% lower than that under tilled layers, but differences were statistically significant only at −0.05 kPa in the 2–10 cm. No significant interaction between tillage and nutrient application treatments was detected for all properties. Compared with mineral fertilizer, poultry manure resulted in a similar ρ b but 20% greater total macroporosity area and 30% higher K at −0.2 kPa. Overall, the sensitivity of soil structure and K to poultry manure were relatively small compared with tillage. We suggest that cultivation practices other than animal manure application are needed to improve physical properties under reduced tillage.