STUDY OF WATER INFILTRATION IN THE SOIL UNDER DIFFERENT TILLAGE SYSTEMS.

The present work studies the effect of various tillage systems on the water infiltration in a sandy clay loam soil (Calcic Haploxeralf) from Seville province. The following tillage methods were considered: mouldboard ploughing (MP), cultivator application (C) and no-tillage (NT). In each treatment, water infiltration was measured using both double-ring infiltrometer and rainfall simulator. Infiltration rates for MP and C treatments were significantly (p=0.05 level) higher than for NT treatment. The infiltration rates in the plough pan of the MP and C treatments were not significantly different (p=0.05 level) to those of the consolidated zone (20 cm depth) in the NT treatment. For the different soil conditions, created with the tillage methods used, the sorptivity parameter was calculated using the Philip equation.