The Effects of Some Tillage Methods on Soil Physical Quality Index in Arid and Semiarid Region

Soil quality maintenance is essential for sustainable food production, waste decomposition and etc. For sustainable management of soil, it is necessary to evaluated soil quality. Soil physical quality drastically affect by tillage methods. Since conventional tillage increases soil erosion, it is better to replace other farming tillage methods. In this study effect of three tillage methods including conventional tillage (tillage with moldboard), chisel plow and disk plow with notillage as controlled treatment on the bulk density, porosity, saturated hydraulic conductivity field, organic matter, aggregate size distribution, soil aggregates stability investigated. Complete randomized blocks were used as statistical design for field experiments. The results showed tillage operations compared with controlled treatment decreased organic matter, bulk density and aggregates stability in the soil surface layer (0-10 cm) significantly (p ≤ 0.01). Tillage operations increased soil porosity in the soil surface layer (0-10 cm) significantly. The treatments effects on saturation hydraulic conductivity and aggregate size distribution were not significant. Generally no-tillage or the controlled treatment maintains more soil physical quality compare with other tillage operations. In order to maintain soil physical quality, cultivation without tillage is recommended.