Moisture Accumulation During Summer Tillage of Fallow Fields

The paper emphasizes that the primary objective of fallow field tillage in summer and pre-sowing soil preparation is to create the most favorable conditions for moisture retention and accumulation within soil layers. (Research purpose) The study aimed to investigate the process of moisture accumulation within soil layers as influenced by the type of working bodies used for continuous tillage of fallow fields. (Materials and methods) The research was conducted in field conditions using an experimental model of a steam cultivator equipped with a roller having a working width of 3 meters, as well as a standard KSOP-4 cultivator for continuous tillage. (Results and discussion) Observations from June to August confirmed that the experimental steam cultivator with a roller effectively prevented the displacement of wet soil layers to the surface, maintaining a volumetric moisture content of 16.42-17.37 percent in the 5-centimeter layer. Moisture accumulation was recorded at various soil depths, with volumetric moisture levels recorded at 28.40-30.48 in the 10-centimeter layer, 30.18-32.82 percent in the 15-centimeter layer, and 26.90-29.38 percent in the 20-centimeter layer. For comparison, continuous tillage using a standard cultivator resulted in the displacement of wet soil layers to the surface, with volumetric moisture levels of 22.62-25.14 percent in the 5-centimeter layer. Moisture accumulation in deeper soil layers decreased, showing 18.57-21.57 percent in the 10-centimeter layer, 14.09-15.58 percent in the 15-centimeter layer, and 22.75-22.21 in the 20-centimeter layer. (Conclusions) The study demonstrated that using specific working bodies for continuous soil cultivation in summer ensures moisture retention within the soil layers. This approach facilitates shallow cultivation to a depth of 4-6 centimeters without exposing wet layers to the surface.

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