Long-Term Tillage Induced Changes in Physical Attributes of a Clayey Soil in Eastern Mediterranean Region

Abstract

Abstract Comparing responses of the same soil under long-term different treatments is vital in determining the best management practices to conserve soil health and sustain productivity. This study was investigated to determine the effects of longterm (2006-2015) two conventional (CT), three reduced (RT) and a no-till (NT) treatment on bulk density (BD), field capacity (FC), wilting point (WP), available water content (AWC) and total porosity (TP) of a clayey soil in eastern Mediterranean region, Turkey. Undisturbed soil samples were collected from 0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm depths of experimental plots with a crop rotation of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), soybean (Glycine max. L.), grain maize (Zea mays L.). The AWC under CT was higher than the RT and NT. The BD was increased with depth in all treatments, and was higher under RT and NT than the CT. The long-term experiment revealed that BD increase under long-term RT and NT should be monitored to avoid deterioration of soil health, and yield loss due to limiting root penetration and storing available water needed during drought periods.