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DIVISION S-1-SOIL PHYSICS

Comparison of Tension Infiltrometer, Pressure Infiltrometer, and Soil Core Estimates of Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity

^a Greenhouse and Processing Crops Res. Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 2585 County Rd. 20, Harrow, ON, Canada N0R 1G0
^b Southern Crop Protection and Food Res. Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 1391 Sandford St., London, ON, Canada N5V 4T3

reynoldsd{at}em.agr.ca

Saturated hydraulic conductivity (K_SAT) is an important soil property that is difficult to measure. Positive-head tension infiltrometer (TI) and single-ring pressure infiltrometer (PI) techniques show promise for measuring K_SAT, but there have been few field tests or comparisons with other methods. The TI, PI, and classical undisturbed soil core (SC) methods for measuring K_SAT were compared on single-grain sand, structured loam, and cracking-clay loam soils under conventional tillage (CT), no-tillage (NT), and native woodlot (WL) managements. Of the 27 between-method correlations (3 methods x 3 soils x 3 managements), only four were significant (P < 0.05). The TI method yielded lower K_SAT values under high-permeability conditions (K_SAT 10^-4 ms^-1) relative to the other methods, as evidenced by lower geometric mean K_SAT (K_GM), lower maximum K_SAT (K_MAX), and lower minimum K_SAT (K_MIN) values. The 0.10-m diam. by 0.10-m-long SC method cores may have been too small to yield representative estimates of K_SAT in the cracking-clay loam and in the NT and WL managements of the sand and loam, as indicated by high coefficients of variation (CVs), inconsistent K_GM values, or high K_MAX values relative to the other methods. Erratic K_MAX and K_MIN values, along with high CVs, suggest that the 0.10-m-diam. PI ring may have been too small to adequately sample the cracking clay loam soil under CT and NT management. Further work appears warranted for developing K_SAT measurement methods, interpreting K_SAT results, and determining appropriate K_SAT methods for various soil types and conditions.

Abbreviations: CT, annual conventional tillage cropping • CV, coefficient of variation • K_GM, geometric mean K_SAT • K_MAX, maximum K_SAT • K_MIN, minimum K_SAT • K_SAT, saturated hydraulic conductivity • NT, annual no-tillage cropping • PI, single-ring pressure infiltrometer • S_SAT, sorptivity for ponded infiltration • SC, undisturbed soil core • TI, positive-head tension infiltrometer • WL, never cropped or cultivated native woodlot

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