IMPACT OF TILLAGE ON IMPACT OF TILLAGE ON SOIL PROPERTIESSOIL PROPERTIES

Dick WolkowskiDick WolkowskiDepartment of Soil ScienceDepartment of Soil Science

University of WisconsinUniversity of Wisconsin

WHAT IS TILLAGEWHAT IS TILLAGETHE PHYSICAL THE PHYSICAL MANIPULATION OF MANIPULATION OF THE SOIL FOR THE THE SOIL FOR THE PURPOSES OF:PURPOSES OF:

Management of previous Management of previous crop residuescrop residuesControl of competing Control of competing vegetationvegetationIncorporation of Incorporation of amendmentsamendmentsPreparation of a seedbedPreparation of a seedbed

SOIL PROPERTIES AFFECTED SOIL PROPERTIES AFFECTED BY TILLAGEBY TILLAGE

Crop residue coverCrop residue coverSoil test measurementsSoil test measurementsNutrient availabilityNutrient availabilityStructure and Structure and aggregate stabilityaggregate stabilityWater relationshipsWater relationshipsTemperatureTemperatureSoil biologySoil biologyStrengthStrength

SURFACE CROP RESIDUE SURFACE CROP RESIDUE INTERACTS WITH OTHER FACTORSINTERACTS WITH OTHER FACTORS

Impact on erosionImpact on erosionCooler soilsCooler soilsConserves moistureConserves moistureAffects soil physical Affects soil physical propertiespropertiesAffects carbon and Affects carbon and nutrient cyclingnutrient cycling

TILLAGE INTENSITY IN WISCONSIN TILLAGE INTENSITY IN WISCONSIN VARIES BY CROPVARIES BY CROP

010203040506070

Corn Soybean Forage

% o

f Acr

eage

NTMTRTCT

CTIC, 2002CTIC, 2002

TILLAGE EFFECTTILLAGE EFFECTEROSION ON CLEANEROSION ON CLEAN--TILLED TILLED GROUND, DANE CO., WIS.GROUND, DANE CO., WIS.

CROP MANAGEMENT EFFECTCROP MANAGEMENT EFFECTEROSION ON CORN SILAGE EROSION ON CORN SILAGE GROUND SHAWANO CO., WIS.GROUND SHAWANO CO., WIS.

TILLAGE EFFECT ON SOIL TESTTILLAGE EFFECT ON SOIL TEST

ISSUESISSUESNutrient stratificationNutrient stratification

Surface applied nutrientsSurface applied nutrientsCrop residuesCrop residuesVertical and horizontalVertical and horizontal

How to collect a How to collect a representative samplerepresentative sampleFertilizer placement Fertilizer placement considerationsconsiderations

SOIL TEST STRATIFICATION FOLLOWING SOIL TEST STRATIFICATION FOLLOWING FIVE YEARS OF TILLAGE MANAGEMENT, FIVE YEARS OF TILLAGE MANAGEMENT,

ARLINGTON, WIS.ARLINGTON, WIS.

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

NT

CH

SOIL TEST P (ppm)

0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200

NT

CH

SOIL TEST K (ppm)

6-8" 4-6" 2-4" 0-2"

5 5.5 6 6.5 7

NT

CH

SOIL pH

Wolkowski, 2003 (Corn/soybean rotation) Wolkowski, 2003 (Corn/soybean rotation)

TEN BOTTOM MOLDBOARD PLOWTEN BOTTOM MOLDBOARD PLOWSET AT 11”, WOOD CO., WIS.SET AT 11”, WOOD CO., WIS.

TILLAGE HAS A PROFOUND TILLAGE HAS A PROFOUND EFFECT ON THE SOIL PHYSICAL EFFECT ON THE SOIL PHYSICAL CONDITIONCONDITION

EFFECTS OF LONGEFFECTS OF LONG--TERM TILLAGE ON THE TERM TILLAGE ON THE PLOW LAYER PORE SIZE DISTRIBUTION PLOW LAYER PORE SIZE DISTRIBUTION

0

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.1

0.12

>150 150-15 15-1.5 1.5-0.3 0.3-0.1

Pore Size

MB

NT

Hill et al., 1985 Hill et al., 1985

Pore

vol

ume

(cm

3 /cm

3 )

EFFECTS OF TILLAGE MANAGEMENT ON EFFECTS OF TILLAGE MANAGEMENT ON MACROMACRO--PORE PORE (>0.4 mm) (>0.4 mm) CONTINUITYCONTINUITY

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

NT MB

Upper Ap

Lower Ap

Upper B

Lower B

Lancaster, Wis.; continuous corn (Logsdon et al., 1990)Lancaster, Wis.; continuous corn (Logsdon et al., 1990)

Pore

num

ber

(m2 )

AGGREGATE STABILITYAGGREGATE STABILITYINFLUENCED BYINFLUENCED BY

Organic matter and organismsOrganic matter and organismsTextureTextureRotationRotationTillageTillage

IMPORTANT FOR:IMPORTANT FOR:AerationAerationWater relationsWater relationsProductivity (Tilth)Productivity (Tilth)

““HEALTHY” CORN ROOT MASSHEALTHY” CORN ROOT MASS

TILLAGE EFFECTS ON SOIL (0TILLAGE EFFECTS ON SOIL (0--2 IN.) 2 IN.) PROPERTIES AT LANCASTER, WIS.PROPERTIES AT LANCASTER, WIS.

535311113636PlowPlow

525216163434ChiselChisel

787824244646NoNo--tilltill

No./mNo./m22g/kgg/kg%%

EARTH EARTH WORMSWORMS

TOTALTOTALCC

STAB.STAB.AGGR.AGGR.

TILLAGETILLAGE

Karlen et al., 1994Karlen et al., 1994

WATERWATER--STABLE AGGREGATE SIZE IN THE STABLE AGGREGATE SIZE IN THE 00--3 IN. DEPTH AS AFFECTED BY ROTATION 3 IN. DEPTH AS AFFECTED BY ROTATION

AND TILLAGEAND TILLAGE

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

CC CSb SbC SbSb

SIZE

(mm

)

FALL MBFALL CHNO-TILL

Kladivko et al, 1986Kladivko et al, 1986

EFFECT OF TILLAGE ON CRUST EFFECT OF TILLAGE ON CRUST STRENGTH AFTER A HEAVY RAINFALLSTRENGTH AFTER A HEAVY RAINFALL

00.20.40.60.8

11.21.41.61.8

2

8 12 16

STR

ENG

TH (M

Pa)

MBNT

UNGER, 1984UNGER, 1984 DAYS

TILLAGE EFFECTS ON SOIL TILLAGE EFFECTS ON SOIL WATER RELATIONSHIPSWATER RELATIONSHIPS

NoNo--till soils tend to till soils tend to have lower porosity and have lower porosity and higher water contenthigher water contentConsiderable variability Considerable variability by soil typeby soil typeContinuous channels in Continuous channels in nono--till can increase till can increase infiltration rateinfiltration rate

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOIL MATRIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOIL MATRIC POTENTIAL AND VOLUMETRIC WATER CONTENTPOTENTIAL AND VOLUMETRIC WATER CONTENT

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

0.45

0.5

0.55

0.6

0 1 2 3.5 5.9 7.4 20 40

WA

TER

CO

NTE

NT

(m3/

m3 MB

NT

Hill, 1990Hill, 1990 MATRIC POTENTIAL (kPa)

TILLAGE EFFECTS ON SOIL TILLAGE EFFECTS ON SOIL TEMPERATURETEMPERATURE

Cooler temperatures associated with Cooler temperatures associated with high residuehigh residueResidue buffers temperature changeResidue buffers temperature changeEmergence and early growth affectedEmergence and early growth affectedCorn on corn noCorn on corn no--till systems have been till systems have been shown to be 5shown to be 5--10% less productive in 10% less productive in WisconsinWisconsin

SOIL TEMPERATURE AFFECTED BY SOIL TEMPERATURE AFFECTED BY TILLAGE AND CROP RESIDUETILLAGE AND CROP RESIDUE

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

11-Apr 18-Apr 24-Apr 2-May 9-May 16-May 23-May

DEG

REE

C

STRIP-TILLCHISELNO-TILL

2 " DEPTHMEASURED 4:00-5:00 PMEffect on in-row soil

temperature,Arlington, 1994

0

20

40

60

80

100

Residu

e (%

)

ChiselStrip-tillNo-till

Effect on cropresidue, Arlington, 1994

Wolkowski, 2000Wolkowski, 2000

STRIP TILLAGE OFFERS STRIP TILLAGE OFFERS AN ALTERNATIVE TOAN ALTERNATIVE TOFULLFULL--WIDTH TILLAGEWIDTH TILLAGE

EFFECT OF TILLAGE ON THE EARLY EFFECT OF TILLAGE ON THE EARLY GROWTH OF CORN, ARLINGTON, WIS. GROWTH OF CORN, ARLINGTON, WIS.

363618180.70.70.70.7NoNo--tilltill

808029291.11.11.81.8ChiselChisel

626228281.11.11.61.6StripStrip--tilltill

%%---------------- g/plt g/plt ----------------plt/ftplt/ft

SILKINGSILKINGV12V12V6V6EMERGENCEEMERGENCETILLAGETILLAGE

Wolkowski, 2000Wolkowski, 2000

TILLAGE AFFECTS BIOLOGICAL TILLAGE AFFECTS BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITYACTIVITY

Cooler and wetter noCooler and wetter no--till till soilssoils

Slower residue Slower residue decompositiondecompositionNutrient immobilizationNutrient immobilizationGreater denitrification Greater denitrification potentialpotential

Surface organic Surface organic material promotes material promotes localized biological localized biological activityactivity

EARTHWORM ACTIVITY GREATERUNDER REDUCED TILLAGE

MiddenMidden

SOIL C AND N DISTRIBUTION AFTER 12 SOIL C AND N DISTRIBUTION AFTER 12 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS CORNYEARS OF CONTINUOUS CORN

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

0.5 2 4 8 10 15 20

Depth (in)

MB

NT

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

0.5 2 4 8 10 15 20

Depth (in)

Tot

al N

(mg/

cm3 )

MB

NT

Karlen et al., 1994

Total C Total N

Tota

l C

( mg/

cm3 )

TILLAGE EFFECTS ON SOIL TILLAGE EFFECTS ON SOIL STRENGTHSTRENGTH

Reduced tillage soils have higher Reduced tillage soils have higher surface bulk density and penetration surface bulk density and penetration resistanceresistanceShortShort--term response to occasional term response to occasional tillagetillageTraffic management criticalTraffic management criticalSubsoiling response is likely site Subsoiling response is likely site dependentdependent

0 1000 2000 3000 4000

Soil Resistance to Penetration, kPa

500

450

400

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

Dep

th, m

m

No-Compaction - No-tillageNo-Compaction - ChiselCompacted - No-TillageCompacted - Chisel

7/20/20006/22/2000

TILLAGE INFLUENCES TILLAGE INFLUENCES RESISTANCE TO PENETRATIONRESISTANCE TO PENETRATION

Greater penetration Greater penetration resistance in noresistance in no--till in top 6” till in top 6” compared to chisel when not compared to chisel when not compactedcompactedCompacted chiseled soil has Compacted chiseled soil has greater resistance than nogreater resistance than no--tilltillGreater penetration Greater penetration resistance when soil is dryresistance when soil is dryCompaction effects more Compaction effects more distinct in dryer soildistinct in dryer soildry (36 % vs. 27 %)dry (36 % vs. 27 %)

Arlington, Plano silt loam Arlington, Plano silt loam

SOIL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES AND CORN SOIL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES AND CORN YIELD AS AFFECTED BY TRACKED AND YIELD AS AFFECTED BY TRACKED AND

WHEELED VEHICLESWHEELED VEHICLES

----7.77.77.87.81.461.46RubberRubber--trackedtracked

%%

1391394.74.72.72.71.501.50WheelWheel--trackedtracked

1481489.79.713.013.01.381.38SteelSteel--trackedtracked

16616617.817.826.026.01.281.28UnUn--trackedtracked

Bu/aBu/auM/secuM/secg/ccg/cc

YIELDYIELDAIRAIR--FILLED FILLED PORE SPACEPORE SPACE

HYDR. HYDR. COND.COND.

BULK BULK DENSITYDENSITY

TYPETYPE

Brown et al., 1992Brown et al., 1992

Would these guys be smiling if they really knew how much pressure this grain cart put on the ground (800 bu x 56 lb = 44,800 lb)

Compaction affects the soil - structure- porosity- aeration- strength

Plant growth affected - root growth- nutrient uptake- water utilization

EFFECT OF PERIODIC PLOWING ON EFFECT OF PERIODIC PLOWING ON SOIL BULK DENSITY (0SOIL BULK DENSITY (0--3 in.)3 in.)

1

1.1

1.2

1.3

1.4

1.5

1986 1987 1991

g/cc

CTNT/PLOWNT

Pierce et al., 1994Pierce et al., 1994

CORN AND SOYBEAN YIELD AS AFFECTED CORN AND SOYBEAN YIELD AS AFFECTED BY DEEP TILLAGE, MANITOWOC, WIS.BY DEEP TILLAGE, MANITOWOC, WIS.

------------------------------------------------ bu/a bu/a ------------------------------------------------

192*192*5959226*226*51*51*ZBZB

17217258581881884040VRVR

17617657572132133030NTNT

CORNCORN20002000

SOYBEAN SOYBEAN 19991999

CORNCORN19981998

SOYBEAN SOYBEAN 19971997

TILLAGETILLAGE

Wolkowski (unpublished)Wolkowski (unpublished)

NATURAL ALLEVIATION OF COMPACTION NATURAL ALLEVIATION OF COMPACTION ON A SILTY CLAY LOAM SOILON A SILTY CLAY LOAM SOIL

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1988 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995

YIEL

D R

EDU

CTI

ON

(%) 10 T

20 T

AlAl--Adawi and Reeder, 1996Adawi and Reeder, 1996

PERSISTANCE OF COMPACTION ALONG THEPERSISTANCE OF COMPACTION ALONG THEWADSWORTH TRAIL, MINNESOTAWADSWORTH TRAIL, MINNESOTA

0.8 0.9 1 1.1 1.2 1.3

OUTSID

ERUTS

SOIL BULK DENSITY (g/cc)

10-12 in 8-10 in 6-8 in4-6 in 2-4 in 0-2 on

Sharratt et al., 1998Sharratt et al., 1998

SUMMARYSUMMARYTillage management can greatly modify Tillage management can greatly modify soil properties related to soil quality and soil properties related to soil quality and crop growthcrop growthTillage intensity will impact residue Tillage intensity will impact residue management and soil consolidationmanagement and soil consolidationMany physical, chemical, and biological Many physical, chemical, and biological properties are affectedproperties are affectedHigh residue systems need “tweaking” in High residue systems need “tweaking” in WisconsinWisconsinBetter traffic and tillage management will Better traffic and tillage management will enhance soil quality and maintain enhance soil quality and maintain productivityproductivity