| Title | Seasonal and Soil Use Dependent Variability of Physical and Hydraulic Properties: An Assessment under Minimum Tillage and No-Tillage in a Long-Term Experiment in Southern Italy |
| Abstract | Abstract: Defining the optimal sampling time across the growing season is crucial to standardize
sampling protocols for soil physical status monitoring and to achieve comparable results under
different experimental conditions and on different sites. In this study, the seasonal variability of soil
physical and hydraulic properties under two conservative soil management strategies, minimum
tillage and no-tillage, was evaluated in a long-term field experiment. On two sampling dates,
autumn 2021 and summer 2022, soil bulk density (BD) and volumetric soil water content at the time
of the experiments (?i) were measured in each experimental unit and Beerkan infiltration
experiments were performed. The soil water retention curve and the hydraulic conductivity
function were then estimated using the Beerkan estimation of soil transfer parameters (BEST)
methodology. In this way, the saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and a set of capacitive
indicators--plant available water capacity (PAWC), soil macroporosity (PMAC), air capacity (AC) and
relative field capacity (RFC)--were obtained. Results underlined the role of soil moisture conditions
as a main factor affecting variability in soil physical properties. Different soil moisture under
autumn and summer samplings significantly affected BD (1.0093 and 1.1905 g cm-3, respectively, in
autumn and summer) and Ks (0.0431 and 0.0492 mm s-1). Relationships observed between BESTderived
variables, such as PMAC (or AC) and RFC, and measured variables, such as BD, showed
consistent results, with increases in PMAC to BD decreases. However, a comparison of capacity-based
indicators obtained by BEST with those obtained from measured soil water retention curves, in a
previous year but under comparable soil conditions, highlighted some discrepancies. This finding
drives the focus towards the need to use more robust datasets deriving from experimental
measurements or from coupling information obtained from measured and estimated data. Finally,
this study provided further evidence that, in the long-term field experiment investigated, the two
soil management systems allowed keeping the values of key soil physical quality indicators, such
as bulk density and saturated hydraulic conductivity, within the optimal or near- optimal reference
ranges. |
| Source | Agronomy (Basel) |
| Keywords | soil tillage; sustainable soil management; temporal variability; soil hydraulic properties; soil bulk density; saturated hydraulic conductivity; capacity-based soil indicators |
| Journal | Agronomy (Basel) |
| Editor | Molecular Diversity Preservation International, Basel, |
| Year | 2022 |
| Type | Articolo in rivista |
| Authors | Stefano Popolizio 1,*, Anna Maria Stellacci 1,*, Luisa Giglio 2, Emanuele Barca 3, Matteo Spagnuolo 1 and Mirko Castellini 2 |
| Text | 474942 2022 soil tillage; sustainable soil management; temporal variability; soil hydraulic properties; soil bulk density; saturated hydraulic conductivity; capacity based soil indicators Seasonal and Soil Use Dependent Variability of Physical and Hydraulic Properties An Assessment under Minimum Tillage and No Tillage in a Long Term Experiment in Southern Italy Stefano Popolizio 1, , Anna Maria Stellacci 1, , Luisa Giglio 2, Emanuele Barca 3, Matteo Spagnuolo 1 and Mirko Castellini 2 1 Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy 2 Council for Agricultural Research and Economics Research Center for Agriculture and Environment CREA AA , Via C. Ulpiani 5, 70125 Bari, Italy 3 Water Research Institute IRSA National Research Council CNR , Viale Francesco de Blasio 5, 70132 Bari, Italy Abstract Defining the optimal sampling time across the growing season is crucial to standardize sampling protocols for soil physical status monitoring and to achieve comparable results under different experimental conditions and on different sites. In this study, the seasonal variability of soil physical and hydraulic properties under two conservative soil management strategies, minimum tillage and no tillage, was evaluated in a long term field experiment. On two sampling dates, autumn 2021 and summer 2022, soil bulk density BD and volumetric soil water content at the time of the experiments i were measured in each experimental unit and Beerkan infiltration experiments were performed. The soil water retention curve and the hydraulic conductivity function were then estimated using the Beerkan estimation of soil transfer parameters BEST methodology. In this way, the saturated hydraulic conductivity Ks and a set of capacitive indicators plant available water capacity PAWC , soil macroporosity PMAC , air capacity AC and relative field capacity RFC were obtained. Results underlined the role of soil moisture conditions as a main factor affecting variability in soil physical properties. Different soil moisture under autumn and summer samplings significantly affected BD 1.0093 and 1.1905 g cm 3, respectively, in autumn and summer and Ks 0.0431 and 0.0492 mm s 1 . Relationships observed between BESTderived variables, such as PMAC or AC and RFC, and measured variables, such as BD, showed consistent results, with increases in PMAC to BD decreases. However, a comparison of capacity based indicators obtained by BEST with those obtained from measured soil water retention curves, in a previous year but under comparable soil conditions, highlighted some discrepancies. This finding drives the focus towards the need to use more robust datasets deriving from experimental measurements or from coupling information obtained from measured and estimated data. Finally, this study provided further evidence that, in the long term field experiment investigated, the two soil management systems allowed keeping the values of key soil physical quality indicators, such as bulk density and saturated hydraulic conductivity, within the optimal or near optimal reference ranges. Published version Seasonal and Soil Use Dependent Variability of Physical and Hydraulic Properties An Assessment under Minimum Tillage and No Tillage file pdf agronomy 12 03142.pdf Articolo in rivista Molecular Diversity Preservation International 2073 4395 Agronomy Basel Agronomy Basel Agronomy Basel Agronomy. Basel emanuele.barca BARCA EMANUELE |
