The effects of conventional tillage (CT) and minimum tillage (MT) on the stability of soil aggregates, pore-size distribution, bulk density, infiltration and penetration resistance were assessed after more than 10 years of crop production at a silt loam soil in Canterbury, New Zealand. Results show that a detrimental decrease in the aggregate stability occurred if the soil was cultivated annually. Conventional tillage slightly increased total and macro-porosity at the cultivated depth. Below this depth, however, this practice resulted in soil compaction as indicated by lower soil porosity, higher bulk density and higher penetration resistance than those under MT. No significant differences were found in the infiltration rate.

Structural changes in a silt loam under long-term conventional or minimum tillage

Soil physical conditions following six years of cereals planted by direct drilling (DD) or conventional cultivation (ploughing, PL) are compared. Bulk density was higher in the top 200 mm of the DD soil but, with ploughing, bulk density was found to increase sharply and remain higher than DD below this depth. With DD, soil strength was consistently higher at most depths and aggregate stability was also higher. Earthworm numbers were at least 1.5 times greater in the DD plots. Infiltration rates were similar under both systems despite the lower total porosity and air-filled porosity of the DD soil. This was attributed to a more open and continuous network of pores in the DD soil. Root densities measured in the same year as the soil physical conditions were significantly higher in the surface 0-100 mm of the DD soil and also tended to be higher below 200 mm depth. In the sixth year of the trial, there was a significantly greater plant emergence in the DD soil than PL soil, although harvest grain yields were similar for both treatments.

Soil physical conditions after six years of direct drilling or conventional cultivation on a silt loam soil in New Zealand

Soil conditions in the tillage zone (0– 300 mm) of a Tokomaru silt loam were monitored for 3 seasons of a long-term continuous maize/oats forage cropping trial using different methods of crop establishment — plough/disc/harrow cultivation, minimum cultivation (disc/harrow), and non-cultivation. Non-cultivation resulted in higher soil bulk densities, larger structural units (aggregates), and lower porosities — particularly in the larger ‘aeration’ pore sizes (macropores) — compared to more conventional cultivation methods. Infiltration rates were significantly retarded by the non-cultivation treatment but water retention in the plant-available range was improved slightly. Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Quicktests showed an accumulation of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) in the uppermost soil layer (0–50 mm) on direct-drilled plots, whereas the cultivated soil had a more homogeneous fertility status throughout the 0–300 mm zone. The soil physical and fertility conditions for minimum cultiva...

Maize/oats forage rotation under 3 cultivation systems, 1978–83: 2. Soil properties

A maize/oats rotation was carried out on a 2-ha site in the Manawatu over 5 years as part of an evaluation of alternative forage production systems to grazed pasture. Maize was established each spring using 3 cultivation methods: (I) plough/disc/harrow cultivation; (2) minimum cultivation using discs and harrows; and (3) noncultivation. In each autumn, oats were direct-drilled into the maize stubble. Both crops were harvested as fine-chopped silage. The mean total forage obtained per year was 24.0, 23.0, and 21.8 t DM/ha for the cultivated, minimum cultivated, and noncultivated systems respectively. In 3 of the 5 years the non-cultivated treatment produced lower maize yields than the cultivated treatment, whereas in the other 2 years yields were similar. Yields of the noncultivated oat crops were also slightly lower in all years. Lower plant populations were often apparent in the non-cultivated crops. However, improved seed-drill coulters and the more timely sowing possible with non-cult...

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00288233.1985.10420929

Maize/oats forage rotation under 3 cultivation systems, 1978–83

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions were determined during the first 3 years of cropping a Kairanga soil out of pasture, with either full cultivation or no-tillage cereal establishment. The CO2 emitted during cropping was compared with calculated methane production by ruminants grazing pasture at the site. Cultivation resulted in the loss of about 10 t soil organic carbon (C)/ha over 3 years but there was no change in soil C with no-tillage cropping. Grazing of pastures at a high but sustainable stocking rate was calculated to produce 205 kg C/ha per year as methane (CH4). No-tillage cropping of this site therefore contributes much less CH4 and CO2 to the atmosphere than either grazing or cropping with cultivation. Using 20-year global wanning potentials of 20 and 1 for CH4 and CO2 respectively, the data showed that ruminants grazing this site would have had more influence on atmospheric warming than cropping with cultivation did.

Greenhouse gas emissions from pasture and arable crops grown on a Kairanga soil in the Manawatu, North Island, New Zealand

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.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00288233.1981.10420887

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

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