HSA | Soils and Sustainability
Comparing Soil Quality Indicators in Tillage vs. No-Till Systems in Western Kentucky
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Horticulture
2nd Student Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Sophomore
2nd Student Major
Agronomy
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. Iin P. Handayani
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation - Murray State Access only
Abstract/Description
Soil quality indicators consist of a soil’s physical, chemical, and biological characteristics, all of which indicate soil conditions involving health, productivity, and nutrient level. The objective of the research was to determine the differences in soil quality indicators under two different tillage practices. The study was conducted at two farms in Western Kentucky, both farms recently harvested under corn. The first location was at the Pullen Farm which has been under a no-till practice for the past ten to twenty years. The second location was at the Hutson Farm, under conventional tillage for a vast period of time. Conventional till plows all of the soil surface throughout the field evenly, while breaking up existing plant residue in the soil surface. No-till practices are a conservative form of sowing crops in fields, seeing that the process does not disturb the soil surface. The two locations share the same primary soil complex, Grenada Silt Loam, and the same soil classification, classification two. Classification two means that the soil has moderate limitations that restrict the choice of plants or plant growth and require careful conservation practices. The first part of the experiment involved taking undisturbed soil samples at a shallow and deep depth, using soil cores to collect twenty four replications to determine differences in tillage practices. In the second part of the study, twenty four replications of disturbed soil samples were collected from the two areas of land. The results of the study showed that Pullen Farm experiences higher levels of bulk density, with the highest average being 1.42 g/cm3, with the highest average at the Hutson Farm being 1.31 g/cm3. Furthermore, Pullen Farm on average deals with a lower field capacity in comparison to the Hutson Farm. Hutson Farm has a greater macroporosity than the Pullen Farm, with the highest average macroporosity coming from Zone 2 shallow depth, at 41.41%.
Key Words: Bulk Density, Conventional Till, Field Capacity, Macroporosity, No-Till, Soil Quality Indicators
Fall Scholars Week 2023 Event
Soils and Sustainability
Comparing Soil Quality Indicators in Tillage vs. No-Till Systems in Western Kentucky
Soil quality indicators consist of a soil’s physical, chemical, and biological characteristics, all of which indicate soil conditions involving health, productivity, and nutrient level. The objective of the research was to determine the differences in soil quality indicators under two different tillage practices. The study was conducted at two farms in Western Kentucky, both farms recently harvested under corn. The first location was at the Pullen Farm which has been under a no-till practice for the past ten to twenty years. The second location was at the Hutson Farm, under conventional tillage for a vast period of time. Conventional till plows all of the soil surface throughout the field evenly, while breaking up existing plant residue in the soil surface. No-till practices are a conservative form of sowing crops in fields, seeing that the process does not disturb the soil surface. The two locations share the same primary soil complex, Grenada Silt Loam, and the same soil classification, classification two. Classification two means that the soil has moderate limitations that restrict the choice of plants or plant growth and require careful conservation practices. The first part of the experiment involved taking undisturbed soil samples at a shallow and deep depth, using soil cores to collect twenty four replications to determine differences in tillage practices. In the second part of the study, twenty four replications of disturbed soil samples were collected from the two areas of land. The results of the study showed that Pullen Farm experiences higher levels of bulk density, with the highest average being 1.42 g/cm3, with the highest average at the Hutson Farm being 1.31 g/cm3. Furthermore, Pullen Farm on average deals with a lower field capacity in comparison to the Hutson Farm. Hutson Farm has a greater macroporosity than the Pullen Farm, with the highest average macroporosity coming from Zone 2 shallow depth, at 41.41%.
Key Words: Bulk Density, Conventional Till, Field Capacity, Macroporosity, No-Till, Soil Quality Indicators