Modifications of the hydraulic conductivity and porosity of soil estimated by a tension disc infiltrometer

Tension disc infiltrometers are being widely used for determining in situ saturated and near-saturated soil hydraulic properties. The objective of this paper was to characterize modifications of the hydraulic conductivity (K0) and the porosity because of tillage and environmental factors effects, by means of a disc infiltrometer, on a typic Haplustoll soil of the central region of Córdoba Province, Argentina. One trial site was in a native forest (BN) and two sites with soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) monocropping with conventional tillage. The latter were selected because of their spatial position inside of a microbasin and correspond to high (C7) and low (E3) moisture areas. K0 values to -20, -40, and -80 mm of water pressure application were of 22.61, 2.67 y 0.64 mm h-1 in BN, of 10.51, 7.57 y 4.19 mm h-1 in C7 and of 14.55, 9.47 and 4.09 mm h-1 in E3, respectively. In the site E3, the K0 values decreased significantly after a disc plow was passed and after an intense rain that formed a superficial crust. It was observed that the pores larger than 0.75 mm bore 90, 45 y 56% of the total water flow in the BN, C7 and E3 sites, respectively. The hydraulic conductivity and the porosity estimated with a tension disc infiltrometer were sensitive parameters as indicators of soil quality