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Effect of Management on Soil Permeability¹

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to determine some changes that have taken place in the surface of cultivated soils. Permeability, volume weight, and percent of pores drained were determined on virgin soils, fertilized and unfertilized soils, soil farmed to a good rotation in contrast to a poor rotation, and eroded soils as compared to slightly eroded soils. Some studies were also made on the effect of cultivation on percent aggregation. Six different soils were studied in the state.

Undisturbed core samples were taken at random with a steel cylindrical sampler and analyzed for permeability, volume weight, and pores drained. Most samples were taken from corn fields in the fall of the year.

Infiltration values for soil with various mulch covers were secured in the field with a type F infiltrometer.

The surface of most soils was originally moderate to moderately rapid in permeability. The addition of limestone and fertilizers has increased the permeability rate of the soil as compared to the untreated plots. This response may be attributed to increased growth of plants. The percentage of large aggregates (1.0 mm) in the surface soil of cultivated areas was reduced from 4 to 20 times as compared to virgin areas. Surface samples taken from plots farmed to a corn, oats, clover, wheat (clover) rotation were 16 times more permeable and held 17% more available water than samples taken from plots farmed to a corn, corn, corn, soybean rotation. Severely eroded soils were less permeable than moderately eroded soils. Wheat straw and crop residues increased infiltration rates approximately three times as compared to bare ground, no mulch.

¹ Contribution from the Soil Conservation Service, U.S.D.A. and the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station, Urbana, Ill. Presented before Sections I and VI, Soil Science Society of America, State College, Pa. August 30, 1951.

² Soil Conservationist, Soil Conservation Service, Research, and State Soil Scientist, Soil Conservation Service, respectively. The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of members of the Agronomy Department, Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station and members of the Soil Conservation Service. Thanks are particularly due to F. C. Bauer and his staff in soil experiment fields for permission to sample certain plots, and to R. S. Stauffer under whose direction the aggregation analyses were conducted.