TITLE:-The effects of shallow-cut land leveling and cropping on penetration resistance in a soil.

Presented by, Mr. Shinde Sunil Diliprao

reg.no. 2012AE/55B

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE ENGNEERING AND TECHNOLOGY VNMKV PARBHANI .

WEL - COME

SEMINAR ON

Introduction Land leveling is a relatively common agricultural practice in the south-central

United States and is routinely performed in fields where flood-irrigated crops

will be grown, such as rice, Similar to land leveling, terracing is a land-forming

practice that is conducted in places such rice production on steep slopes. In

general, land leveling is the practice of creating a slight, but uniform slope

across a field to facilitate more uniform distribution of irrigation water.

Most commonly, topsoil from spots of relatively high elevation is simply

scrapped away (i.e., cut) and deposited (i.e., filled) in areas of relatively low

elevation.

Similar to tillage, land leveling is a form of soil disturbance that alters

soil physical properties. Land leveling has been shown to alter the

particle-size distribution, but not the textural class, and increase soil

bulk density in the top 10 cm of a silt loam soil.

Need for land levelling

Increased soil bulk density occurs as a result of soil compaction, so that

cone penetrometer is resistance to penetration.

Compaction has been shown to negatively affect seedling emergence

capability, soil water storage, crop water-use efficiency, crop growth

characteristics, yield, nutrient uptake, and root development and

distribution.

Soil penetration resistance affects by several other soil properties. Bulk

density, particle-size distribution or texture and water content.

Methods

The study site consisted of a 0.36 ha area within a 25 ha field

predominantly cropped to rice and soybean.

land leveling, a 40m×90m sampling grid was established in the study

area. Grid points were spaced evenly at 10m apart, for a total of 50 grid

points, to facilitate statistical evaluation of the effects of land leveling on

the magnitude, variability, and spatial distribution of CI values. The grid

was positioned in the field so that roughly one-half of the sampling area

was cut and the other half was filled However, the cut and filled areas of

the grid were not considered experimental treatments.

Fig.1 grid survey of area

Fig.2 3-dimentional representation of contour map of given field

Fig.3 3D representation of cut and fill of soil in the given area

Methods of land leveling

Bullock drawn implements

2-wheel tractors using harrows and leveling boards

4-wheel tractor using rear mounted tractor blades or drag

buckets.

4-wheel tractor with a laser controlled bucket.

Prepared by Prafull Mange

SYSTEMS OF LAND LEVELING DRAFT ANIMALS

2-WHEEL TRACTORS USING HARROWS AND LEVELING

BOARDS

4-WHEEL TRACTOR USING REAR MOUNTED TRACTOR BLADES OR DRAG BUCKETS

4-WHEEL TRACTOR WITH A LASER CONTROLLED BUCKET.

Results and discussion Land leveling affected soil particle-size distribution and

bulk density in the top 0.1m (Table 1).

Sand and clay content and bulk density increased

significantly (P < 0.05), while silt content decreased

significantly (P < 0.05), following land leveling.

The soil textural class (i.e., silt loam) was unaffected by

land leveling. Bulk density was also significantly greater

(P < 0.05) approximately 1 year after land leveling. Land leveling also affected soil particle-size distribution

within the top 0.5m

Cone index:-

Cone index is an indication of soil hardness and is

expressed as force per square centimetre required for a cone to

penetrate into soil. Cone index in the soil varies with cone apex

angle and area of cone bottom. A standard cone penetrometer

was used to determine the cone index.

Conclusions: Shallow-cut land leveling significantly increased CI at all depths

between 0.05 and 0.35 m. Land leveling decreased the depth to a root-

limiting hard pan.

Land leveling significantly decreased CI variability at the 0.05m depth,

but increased CI at each depth between 0.1 and 0.35 m.

Land leveling also disrupted the spatial distribution of CI throughout the

0.36 ha study area.

The 50% reduction in soil volume for root growth.

Proper management of a non-continuously, flood-irrigated alternative

crop, such as soybean, for maximum yield when in rotation with rice

may be difficult.

References : Penetration resistance as affected by shallow-cut land

leveling and cropping, by K.R. Brye , N.A. Slaton, R.J. ∗Norman

Arshad, M.A., Lowry, B., Grossman, B., 1996. Physical tests for monitoring soil quality. In: Doran, J.W., Jones, A.J. (Eds.), Methods for Assessing Soil Quality. Soil Sci. Soc. Am Spec. Publ. 49. Soil Sci. Soc. Am., Madison, WI, pp. 123–141

Ayers, P.D., Penumbral, J.V., 1982. Moisture and density effect of cone index. Trans. ASAE 24, 1169–1172.

Hooks, C.L., Jansen, J.J., 1986. Recording cone penetrometer

developed in reclamation research. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 50,10–12.

Topic open for discussion

Thank you