SOIL RESPONSE TO TILLAGE TREATMENTS

Soil structure is an important measure of soil quantity that is significantly affected by tillage systems. The investigation was carried out on the suggested system of tillage to get the best soil structure for achieving a high production. To fulfill this aim, five tillage systems were investigated. The combination between the primary tillage, (moldboard plow, 20 cm in depth; chisel plow, 20 cm; disk plow, 10 cm; disk harrow, 10 cm and control without tillage), and two secondary tillages (disk harrow followed with rotary and control) as tillage systems are identify. Clod size distribution, main weight diameter, soil roughness, tillage degree, soil resistance, soil shearing, bulk density, and mechanical measurements such as rolling resistance, slippage, draft and fuel consumption were measured as independent variable. The results indicated that, the soil surface after using moldboard plow or disk plow were more response to pulverization. The lowest mean weight diameter (34.81 mm) was recorded at “disk harrow” followed with rotary. Increasing the mean weight diameter (MWD) increased the soil roughness. Moreover, decreasing the “MWD” values because of increasing soil pulverization consequently increases the number of impacts and then decreases the penetration values. Bulk density, rolling resistance, slippage, and draft were affected by tillage systems.