SOIL FRAGMENTATION PRODUCED BY SOIL CUTTING AS INFLUENCED BY VARIOUS MOISTURE CONTENTS NEAR THE SOILS STICKY LIMIT
J. Malard, D. Qishuo, A. Tagar, J. Adamowski, J. Changying
Abstract: Soil fragmentation is greatly influenced by the moisture status. The optimum moisture content Wopt for a seedbed may be defined as the moisture content at which tillage produces more than 50% of medium size aggregates (0.5–8 mm). The
objective of this study was to investigate soil fragmentation produced by soil cutting at five moisture contents (110%, 100%, 90%, 80% and 70% of moisture content at the sticky limit of the soil, WSL) to assess soil fragmentation and optimum moisture content for seedbed in dry land and paddy soils. The highest fractal dimensions were found at 70% WSL, whilst lowest fractal dimensions were found at 110% WSL in both dry land and paddy soils. Similarly, in both soils, the highest specific surface area was observed at 70% WSL, whilst the lowest was found at 110% WSL. The optimum moisture content for seedbed was observed at 80% WSL for dry land soil and 90% WSL for paddy soil.
objective of this study was to investigate soil fragmentation produced by soil cutting at five moisture contents (110%, 100%, 90%, 80% and 70% of moisture content at the sticky limit of the soil, WSL) to assess soil fragmentation and optimum moisture content for seedbed in dry land and paddy soils. The highest fractal dimensions were found at 70% WSL, whilst lowest fractal dimensions were found at 110% WSL in both dry land and paddy soils. Similarly, in both soils, the highest specific surface area was observed at 70% WSL, whilst the lowest was found at 110% WSL. The optimum moisture content for seedbed was observed at 80% WSL for dry land soil and 90% WSL for paddy soil.
Keywords: seedbed; soil moisture content; sticky limit of soil
Date published: 2017-09-04
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