Comparing Tillage Techniques by Using a New Infiltration Method

40 cm plow-till (PT40) and 20 cm plow-till (PT20) according to results of a new developed infiltration method. Ponded infiltration rates were measured to obtain the field saturated hydraulic conductivity (K fs) using single ring infiltrometers on six dates with six replications in three sites on a sandy clayey loam soil. In both PT20 and CH plots, K fs after tillage increased temporarily to a value of about 4 and 9 times greater than that observed before tillage, respectively. However, late in the season, it tended to be not significantly different from the one before tillage for both. In PT40 plot, K fs remained relatively constant during the year except May. At the end of the year, PT40 had the greatest K fsand CH had the lowest. As a result, it was found that the tillage technique used does not have appreciable effect on the K fs for this type of soil. Although tillage recreates transmission pores in increasing K fs, such pores were temporary, and tillage-created cracks may have collapsed within the season as a result of raindrop impact and wetting-drying cycles