Effects of machinery traffic, method of fertilizer application, and tillage on soil physical properties, plant growth, and nitrate-nitrogen leaching

摘要

The relationship between soil compaction and the use of agricultural equipment is being quantified; many features of this relationship are dependent on the characteristics of the particular soil involved and on specific physical parameters of the equipment employed. For this reason, more information on equipment-plant-soil compaction relationships is needed;This research was conducted to evaluate the effects of machinery traffic, method of fertilizer application, and tillage on NO(,3)-N leaching, soil physical properties and plant growth. The results indicated that trafficked zones maintained higher amounts of NO(,3)-N and volumetric moisture content compared to untrafficked zones under rainfall simulation as well as under field conditions;Less NO(,3)-N leaching was observed in plots fertilized with a point injector fertilizer application (PIFA) compared with a conventional knife applicator. This response was accompanied with favorable effects on plant growth in the PIFA plots. Moderate traffic appeared useful in terms of crop growth parameters measured;No-till plots indicated higher soil density and soil penetration resistance and, in turn, poorer crop responses compared with other tillage systems.