Soil physical conditions of a levin silt loam following intensive cropping with and without cultivation and under repeated wheel traffic

摘要

Abstract Soil physical conditions of a Levin silt loam were examined after five years of continuous cropping. Areas of normal cultivation, no-tillage, and an uncropped, heavily wheel-tracked area were compared. A good soil tilth resulted from both the cultivation and no-tillage treatments, although no-tillage maintained more stable aggregation and slightly higher organic matter levels. Soil strengths tended to be lower in the cultivated soil. In contrast, wheel-induced compaction resulted in large aggregates, higher bulk densities, greater mechanical strengths, and a severe loss of macroporosity to a depth of 15 cm. Results showed the ability of soils containing weathered volcanic ash to withstand repeated cultivation and, therefore, indicated their high physical potential for intensive cropping.