A Study of Surface Soil Conditions under a Non-Cultivation Management System: II: Micromorphology and Micromorphometrical Analysis

• Published in: Irish journal of agricultural research 1967-10, Vol.6 (2), p.189-201
• Main Author: Bulfin, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural site preparation; Agricultural soils; Agrology; Herbicides; Mulches; Porosity; Soil compaction; Soil fauna; Soil pore systems; Tillage
• ISSN: 0578-7483

The soil surface under four different management treatments in a raspberry plantation was examined to determine the relative effect of each treatment on soil physical properties. The treatments (of the inter-row alleys) were part of a non-cultivation experiment on raspberries and consisted of (i) herbicide alone, (ii) herbicide plus mulch, (iii) grassing down plus mulch and (iv) rotary cultivation to suppress weeds plus mulch. The herbicide-alone treatment has a dense platy structure and few pores which are parallel to the soil surface. The other treatments have a better structure and the pore networks ramify right to the soil surface. The herbicide-plus-mulch treatment shows the best structure and pore space distribution. Total pore space in the 30-550μ pore-size is 4.55 percent in the 0 to 2 mm layer of the herbicide-alone treatment, increasing to 7.93 in the 2 to 6 mm and averages 9.45 percent in the 0 to 2 in. layer of this treatment. The cultivated soil has 6.91 percent pore space in the 0 to 2 in. and 5.98 in the 2 to 4 in. layer. Pore space is highest in the herbicide-plus-mulch treatment with 15.85 percent in the 0 to 2 in. and 12.98 in the 2 to 4 in. layer. Compaction in any layer is indicated by a decrease in macropore space.