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The Comparative Effects of Surface Application VS. Incorporation of Various Mulching Materials on Structure, Permeability, Runoff, and Other Soil Properties
Author(s) -
Alderfer R. B.,
Merkle F. G.
Publication year - 1944
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1944.036159950008000c0014x
Subject(s) - soil conservation , surface runoff , mulch , agriculture , agricultural experiment station , environmental science , agronomy , geography , archaeology , ecology , biology
:E use of artificial soil mulches has recently been J. given extensive consideration by those interested in maintaining a favorable soil structure, an optimum moisture status throughout; the growing season, and maximum control of runoff and soil erosion. Plant residues have been most frequently used as sources of mulching material. Among the first effects of mulching to be' studied were those which had to do with the moisture status and the accumulation of nitrates in the soil under straw mulch. Harris and Turpin (6), in 1917, reported an increased soil moisture content with straw mulch under irrigated and dry farming conditions in Utah. Lyon (n) in 1922 and Lamb and Chapman (10) in 1943 showed similar results for straw mulch in New York. The literature contains very little information concerning the effects of mulching on the structure of the soil except for the work of Ha vis (8), who reported on the aggregation of a Wooster silt loam that had been mulched with straw continuously for 44 years in an apple orchard. He found this mulched soil to be more completely aggregated than the soil under bluegrass sod. The results of 7 years treatment with wheat straw mulch and chopped corn stover mulch in a peach orchard show an increase in the state of aggregation of the soil under these mulches as compared with bluegrass sod or manure treatment. Previously, Havis and Gourley (7) showed that the organic matter content, total porosity, and rate of water absorption of the surface soil was higher in the mulched soil than for the soil in bluegrass sod. Both of these orchard treatments were superior in each of these soil qualities to that of the cultivated soil. The studies of Duley and Kelly (5), Borst and Woodburn (3), Browning and Sudds (4), and Lamb and Chapman (10), all of whom used straw, Beutner and Anderson (2) who used alfilaria and native grass, and Kidder, et al. (9), using soybean residues, corn stover, and wheat straw as the mulching material, clearly demonstrate the effect of surface application of mulching material on greatly increased infiltration rate and correspondingly reduced rate and quantity of runoff and erosion. The purpose of this investigation was to study the effect of surface application and incorporation of various organic and inorganic mulching materials on the structure, permeability, infiltration capacity, organic matter content, and the soil moisture content of a given soil type. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE