WATER MOVEMENT IN CALCAREOUS SOIL UNDER TILLAGE, LEVELING AND BORDER IRRIGATION

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the Agricultural Experimental Station of the Desert Research Center, at Maryut,Alexandria Governorate. The main objective of the present work is optimizing of water movement and some soil physical properties in calcareous soil in respect to the effect of leveling methods (laser, traditional and no-leveling), tillage depths (15, 20 and 25 cm), border irrigation length (25, 50 and 75 m) and irrigation cut off after 80 and 90% of border length. The obtained results can be summarized as follows: The highest bulk density and penetration resistance increasing were 13.04 and 26.83 % at 0-10 cm soil layer by using laser leveling and 15 cm tillage depth. Meanwhile, the lowest values were 1.42 and 5.35% at 20-30 cm soil layer by using traditional leveling and 15 cm tillage depth. The highest infiltration rate decreasing was 22.95% after using laser leveling and 15 cm tillage depth. Data presented indicate that increasing the tillage depth from 15 to 20 and to 25 cm, the advance time at 25 m border length when irrigation cut off after 90% of border length, increased from 8.8 to 10.7 and to 13.4 min; 9.4 to 10.8 and to 14.1min and 9.2 to 11.2 and to 15.7 min under laser, traditional and no-land leveling respectively. Data presented indicated that with laser land leveling and 20 cm tillage depth, the recession time when irrigation cut off after 90% of border length decreased by 14.29 and 38.84%; 17.46 and 41.75% and 20.16 and 37.39% under 25, 50 and 75 m border lengths compared to traditional and no-land leveling respectively. Data presented indicated that increasing the border length from 25 to 50 and to 75 m, the opportunity time at 20 cm tillage depth when irrigation cut off after 90% of border length, increased from 31.5 to 39.4 and to 47.8 min; 49.1 to 61.1 and to 71.7 min and 65.2 to 77.8 and to 82.9 min under laser, traditional and no-land leveling respectively.