EFFECT OF TILLAGE DEPTH ON SOME PROPERTIES OF SALINE SOIL

Abstract

: A field experiment was conducted to quantify the effect of tillage depth and irrigation application rates on total porosity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, EC and pH of Al-Hussainiya saline clay soil. Wheat crop (Triticum aestivum; misr-1) was cultivated. Soil physical and chemical properties were measured before and after wheat cultivation. The irrigation water was, also, chemically analyzed. The soil properties were measured at three tillage depths and four irrigation application rates. The obtained results showed a reduction in both EC and pH and increase in both total porosity and hydraulic conductivity with increasing tillage depth. Therefore, the study recommended a deep tillage and water application not less than field capacity to improve soil properties and increase soil hydraulic conductivity and, hence, enhance leaching salts in the clay saline soil, especially, from the surface layers.