Is better minimum than standard mouldboard ploughing tillage from viewpoint of the pore-size distribution and soil water retention characteristic changes?

At present time exists a lot of soil tillage practices with different effects on soil productivity, therefore the effects of two tillage systems (conventional: CT, and miminum: MT) and two different soil types (Chernozem and Mollic Fluvisol) on soil physical quality indicators and water availability were evaluated in an on-farm study in the Krakovany (Danube Lowland, Slovakia). We evaluated pore-size distributions and selected hydro-physical properties (capillary rise, maximum capillary water capacity and retention water capacity). The total porosity (P) on average by 23% and by 14%, non-capillary pores (Pn) by 271% and by 114% and semicapillary pores by 102% and by 192% were significantly greater for CT than MT in Chernozem and in Mollic Fluvisol, respectively. The content of capillary pores (Pc) was significantly greater for MT than CT on average by 13% and 8% in Chernozem and in Mollic Fluvisol, respectively. The average content of capillary rise (ΘCR), maximum capillary water capacity (ΘMCWC) and retention water capacity (ΘRWC) were higher by 6, 10 and 13% under MT than CT in soil profile of Chernozem. The same effect of soil tillage systems in Mollic Fluvisol was not observed. In Chernozem under MT with increased P, ΘCR significantly increased, however, under CT, the ΘCR significantly decreased. At the same time we determined negative correlations between Pn and soil water retention characteristics under CT. Higher content of Pc resulted in higher values of capillary rise, maximum capillary water capacity and retention water capacity in both soil types under both tillage systems

The content and profile distribution of carbon and nitrogen fractions susceptible to acid hydrolysis in Haplic Chernozems and Mollic Fluvisols of western Slovakia

The studies on the content and profile distribution of carbon and nitrogen fractions of varied susceptibility to acid hydrolysis were performed in arable Haplic Chernozems and Mollic Fluvisols at four locations near Krakovany, Slovakia. The soils were sampled every 10 cm and analyzed, including the content of total organic carbon (TOC) and nitrogen (TN) and fractions of these elements after sequential extraction in 0.25 mol dm-3 KCl, 0.25 mol dm-3 H2SO4 and 2.5 mol dm-3 H 2SO4. Based on extractions, the content of easy hydrolyzable (EHC), hardly hydrolyzable (HHC) and nonhydrolyzable carbon (NHC) and the content of ammonium nitrogen (NH4-N), nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), easy hydrolyzable nitrogen (EHN), hardly hydrolyzable nitrogen (HHN) and nonhydrolyzable nitrogen (NHN) was calculated. Mollic Fluvisols were more abundant in TOC and TN as compared to Haplic Chernozems. The content of carbon and nitrogen fractions varied among the soils, showing correlations with the total content of these elements. A low contribution of EHC and HHC in TOC and NO3-N, EHN, HHN in TN and a large share of nonhydrolyzable fractions of these elements were characteristic features of the studied soils. In general, trends in HHC (as % of TOC) and NO3-N, NH4-N, EHN (as % of TN), increasing with depth with a simultaneous decrease of NHN were observed. A-horizons of Haplic Chernozems were characterized by a higher contribution of EHN, NH4-N and NO3-N in TN, but a lower share of NHN as compared to Mollic Fluvisols