Effects of different management practices of barely straw and alfalfa residue on soil moisture content and aeration behavior under field conditions

Document Type : Complete scientific research article

Author

Abstract

Background and objectives: Iran as an arid and semiarid country has been faced with low precipitation and water shortage. In this regard, the application of suitable management practices using plant residues is one of the most important strategies resulting in the improvement of organic matter content as well as water retention of soils. Therefore, in many soils of arid and semiarid regions, organic matter is as the best amendment to increase water content and improve physical properties of the soil (23, 40). Plant residue can increase soil moisture content through the improvement of soil organic carbon content and the reduction of runoff and evaporation (9, 25). Application of plant residue is one of the common methods for improving soil properties. However in some areas, plant residues are removed from the filed or burned by the farmers. This study was performed to investigate the effect of different types of plant residues and their management on soil moisture content as well as aeration properties under field conditions.
Materials and Methods: The experiment was conducted under field conditions as factorial statistical design based on RCBD consisting three replicates. The first factor was residue type including barely straw and alfalfa residue and the second factor was different managements of the residues including 1) incorporating one percent of the plant residues with the soil, 2) incorporating 0.5 percent of the plant residues with the soil, 3) surface retention‌‌ of plant‌ residues, 4) burning of plant residues and 5) control. After nine months, the final soil moisture content at seven suctions including 0, 30, 50, 100, 500, 1000 and 1500 kPa was measured. In addition, the available water content and aeration porosity were calculated.
Results: The result showed that among the experimental treatments, the incorporation and also surface retention‌‌ of plant‌ residues increased soil moisture compared to control, whereas, burning the plant residues reduced the moisture content. In comparison to the control, the incorporation of one percent barely straw to the soil led to the highest increases in the moisture content at PWP (70%) and the available water (12.5%). Reversely, burning of barely straw showed the highest reduction in the moisture content at PWP (34.5%) compared to control. In addition, the surface retention‌‌ of plant‌ residues resulted in the highest increase (48%) in aeration porosity compared to control.
Conclusion: The findings of this study showed the favorite efficiency of incorporating and surface application of organic sources in improving soil moisture and aeration porosity.

Keywords

References

1.Abdul Khaliq, M., and Abbasi, K. 2015. Improvements in the physical and chemical characteristics of degradedsoils supplemented with organic–inorganic amendments in the Himalayan region of Kashmir, Pakistan. Catena. 126: 209-219.
2.Akef, M., and Bagheri, E. 2008. Soil Management and Role of Agricultural Machines in Physical Soil Characteristics. Guilan University Press, Pp: 3-22. (In Persian)
3.Albiach, R., Canet, R., Pomares, F., and Ingelmo, F. 2001.Organic matter component and aggregate stability after the application of different amendments and to a horticulture soil. Bioresource Technology. 76: 125-129.
4.Alimardani, A., Delaver, M.A., and Golchin, A. 2011. The effects of organic and inorganic materials on some physical properties of a sodic soil. J. Soil Manage. Sust. Prod. 1: 2. 21-38. (In Persian) 
5.Aly, S.S.M., Soliman, S.M., Akel, E.A., and Ali, M.E. 1999. Significant of free N2- fixation bacteria and nitrification inhibitors on saving the applied nitrogen to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants. Faculty of Agriculture, University of Cairo. 50: 2. 347-365.
6.Are, K.S., Oluwatosin, G.A., Adeyolanu, O.D., and Oke, A.O. 2009. Slash and burn effect on soil quality of an Alfisol: Soil physical properties. Soil and Tillage Research. 103: 4-10.
7.Aryanpour, H., and Shorafa, M. 2013. Cultivation impact on soil available water in different soil textures using pore size distribution. J. Soil Manage. Sust. Prod. 3: 1. 131-148. (In Persian)
8.Bescansa, P., Imaz, M.J., Virto, I., Enrique, A., and Hoogmoed, W.B. 2006. Soil water retention as affected by tillage and residue management in semiarid Spain. Soil and Tillage Research. 87: 19-27.
9.Blanco-Canqui, H., and Lal, R. 2009. Corn stover removal for expanded uses reduces soil fertility and structural stability. Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. J. 73: 418-426.
10.Chen, Y., Liu, T., Tian, X., Wang, X., Li, M., Wang, Sh., and Wang, Zh. 2015. Effect of plastic film combined with straw mulch on grain yield and water use efficiency of winter wheat in Loess Plateau. Field Crop Research. 172: 53-58.
11.Emami, H., Astaraei, A.R., Mohajerpour, M., and Farahbakhsh, A. 2012. The effect of amendments on different volumetric soil moisture contents at different suction in a saline- sodic soil. J. Agron. 4: 2. 104-111. (In Persian)
 12.Emerson, W.W. 1995. Water retention, organic C and soil texture. Austr. J. Soil Res. 17: 45-56.
13.Fuentes, M., Govaerts, B., Leon, F.D., Hidalgo, C., Dendooven, L., Sayre, K.D., and Etchevers, J. 2009. Fourteen years of applying zero and conventional tillage, crop rotation and residue management systems and its effect on physical and chemical soil quality. Europ. J. Agron. 30: 228-237.
14.Gangwar, K.S., Singh, K.K., Sharma, S.K., and Tomar, O.K. 2006. Alternative tillage and crop residue management in wheat after rice in sandy loam soils of Indo-Gangetic plains. Soil and Tillage Research. 88: 242-252.
15.Heidari, F., Rasoulzadeh, A., Sepaskha, A.R., and Azghari, A. 2010. The effect of incorporating and burning plant residue on soil physical and hydrological properties. The 2th Iranian Water Resources Management Conference. Dec. 30-31. Kerman, Iran. (In Persian)
16.Heidari, J., and Ghorbani Dashtaki, Sh. 2013. The effect of fire on soil quality in semi-steppe rangelands of Karsanak, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari. J. Water Soil Cons. 20: 2. 125-142. (In Persian)
17.Hubbert, K.R., Preisler, H.K., Wohlgemuth, P.M., Graham, R.G., and Narog, M.G. 2006. Prescribed burning effects on soil physical properties and water repellency in a steep chaparral watershed, Southern California, USA. Geoderma. 130: 284-298.
18.Igwe, C.A. 2005. Soil physical properties under different management systems and organic matter effects on soil moisture along a soil catena in southeastern Nijeria. Tropical and subtropical agroecosystems. 5: 57-66.
19.Karimi, A., and Naderi, M. 2007. Yield and water use efficiency of forage corn as influenced by superabsorbent polymer application in soils with different textures. J. Agric. Res. 7: 187-198. (In Persian) 
20.Kay, B.D. 1990. Rates of change of soil structure under different cropping systems. Advances in Soil Science. 12: 1-52.
21.Klute, A. 1986a. Methods of soil analysis. Part 1: Physical and Mineralogical Methods. Second edition. Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. J. 1188p.
22.Klute, A. 1986b. Water Retention: Laboratory Methods, P 635-666. In: A. Klute (Ed.), Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 1. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, WI.
23.Mahmoodabadi, M. 2012a. Effect of different organic matters on time variability of soil aggregate stability at different size fractions. Watershed Management Research (Pajouhesh and Sazandegi). 93: 70-78. (In Persian) 
24.Mahmoodabadi, M. 2012b. Study on particle size distribution and aggregate stability due to application of two types of plant residues. Water and Soil Resources Conservation. 1: 2. 15-28. (In Persian) 
25.Mahmoodabadi, M., and Heydarpour, E. 2014. Sequestration of organic carbon influenced by the application of straw residue and farmyard manure in two different soils. International Agrophysics. 28: 2. 169-176.
26.Mahmoodabadi, M., and Ahmadbeygi, B. 2011. Effect of some physical and chemical properties of soil on aggregate stability in some cultivation systems. J. Soil Manage. Sust. Prod. 1: 2. 61-79. (In Persian) 
27.Mahmoodabadi, M., Rashidi, O.L., and Fekri, M. 2013. Application of alfalfa residues, poultry manure and potassium fertilizer on some soil properties and onion yield. J. Water Soil. 27: 2. 452-461. (In Persian) 
28.Page, A.L., Miller, R.H., and Jeeney, D.R. 1992a. Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 1. Physical properties. Soil Science Society of America Publication. Madison. 1750p.
29.Page, A.L., Miller, R.H., and Jeeney, D.R. 1992b. Methods of Soil Analysis, Part 2. Chemical and mineralogical properties. Soil Science Society of America Publication. Madison. 1159p.
30.Peake, L.R., Reid, B.J., and Tang, X. 2014. Quantifying the influence of biochar on the physical and hydrological properties of dissimilar soils. Geoderma. 235-236: 182-190.
31.Roberts, S.D., Harrington, C.A., and Terry, C.A. 2005. Harvest residue and competing vegetation affect soil moisture, soil temperature, N availability, and Douglas-fir seedling growth. Forest Ecology and Management. 205: 333-350.
32.Seyed Dorajji, S., Golchin, A., and Ahmadi, S.H. 2010. The effects of different levels of a superabsorbent polymer and soil salinity on water holding capacity with three txtures of sandy, loamy and clay. J. Water Soil. 24: 2. 306-316. (In Persian) 
33.Shaver, T.M., Peterson, G.A., Ahuja, L.R., Westfall, D.G., Sherrod, L.A., and Dunn, G. 2002. Surface soil physical properties after twelve years of dry land no-till management. Soil Sci. Soc. Amer. J. 66: 1296-1303.
34.Shaver, T.M., Peterson, G.A., and Sherrod, L.A. 2003. Cropping intensification in dry land systems improves soil physical properties: regression relations. Geoderma. 116: 149-164.
35.Walkley, A., and Black, I.A. 1934. An examination of the degtjareff method for determining soil organic matter, and proposed modification of the chromic acid titration method. Soil Science. 37: 29-38.
36.Wang, X., Yang, H., Liu, J., Wu, J., Chen, W., Wu, J., Zhu, L., and Bian, X. 2015. Effects of ditch-buried straw return on soil organic carbon and rice yields in a rice-wheat rotation system. Catena. 127: 56-63.
37.White, R.E. 2006. Principles and Practice of Soil Science, 4th Edition. Blackwell Publishing, Oxford, UK. Pp: 75-120.
38.Wiedenfeld, B. 2009. Effects of green harvesting vs. burning on soil properties, growth and yield of sugarcane in south Texas. American Society of Sugar Cane Technologists. 29: 102-109.
39.Wu, J.S.C., and Auerswald, K. 1999. Relationship of percolation stability of soil aggregates to land use, selected properties, structural indices and simulated rainfall erosion. Soil and Tillage Research. 50: 197-206.
40.Yazdanpanah, N., Pazira, E., Neshat, A., Mahmoodabadi, M., and Rodríguez Sinobas, L. 2013. Reclamation of calcareous saline sodic soil with different amendments (II): Impact on nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium redistribution and on microbial respiration. Agricultural Water Management. 120: 39-45.
41.Zhang, G.S., Chan, K.Y., Oates, A., Heenan, D.P., and Huang, G.B. 2007. Relationship between soil structure and runoff/soil loss after 24 years of conservation tillage. Soil and Tillage Research. 92: 122-128.
Journal of Water and Soil Conservation
Volume 23, Issue 1
May 2016
Pages 155-170

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics