EFFECT OP DIFFERENT CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES ON INFILTRATION
EFFECT OP DIFFERENT CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES ON INFILTRATION
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Date
1979
Authors
AREMU, JULIUS AFOLABI
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Abstract
The literature on infiltration and factors affecting it
was reviewed. Special emphasis was given to the effects of
different cultivation techniques. As infiltration is one of
the key factors affecting soil erosion by water the literature
review opened with a brief survey of erosion problems in
Nigeria.
The effects of different cultivation techniques on soil
physical properties were assessed by measuring infiltration
with double ring infiltrometers. The cultivation techniquee
included a manual system, a bullock-powered system, a system of
zero tillage and a variety of tractor-powered systems. An aggregate
stability test was also carried out for selected treatments.
The infiltration measurements were carried out on four
occasions spaced over the growing season. Each infiltration
run lasted four hours and the differences in cumulative
infiltration between the third and the fourth hours were taken
as the equilibrium infiltration rates. „
Infiltration was also measured in a 6-year old zero
tillage experiment in which zero tillage was contrasted with
continuous cultivation. In another experiment, infiltration
in a field under grass fallow was compared with that in a
30 year old continuously cultivated field.
The results of infiltration measurements showed that
infiltration and cultivation technique were closely related.
Cumulative infiltration under the manual system was superior
to either the zero tillage or the bullock-powered system and
greatly superior to the mechanised system. Statistical
analysis of equilibrium infiltration rates confirmed this.
The manual system was significantly superior to the bullockpowered
and tractor-powered systems at 5% level of significance.
The statistical analysis also showed that zero tillage was
significantly superior to all the mechanised treatments while
there was no significant difference among the mechanised
treatments. The grass fallow was greatly superior to the
continuously cultivated soil. The lowest infiltration rates
were obtained in the mid-season when rainfall was at its peak
suggesting that infiltration and initial soil moisture content
were related.
The aggregate stability test showed that the surface soil
under zero tillage was much more stable than surface soil under
any other treatment; the significance level was 0.1%. At the
same level of significance, surface soil under manual and bullockpowered
systems were more stable than surface soil under any of
the mechanised treatments.
In view of the importance of infiltration rate with
respect to surface runoff and soil erosion, the conclusions
about the effect of different cultivation techniques on
infiltration should be tested for all the major soil types in
Nigeria. In addition, further studies are needed to find out
the exact causes of reduced infiltration in particular cases.
Description
A thesis submitted in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Science
Department of Soil Science
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
Nigeria
Keywords
EFFECT,, DIFFERENT,, CULTIVATION,, TECHNIQUES,, INFILTRATION