The Effects of Conservation Tillage and Residual Management on Soil Properties

This study aimed to compare the effects of practices of protective agriculture and conventional methods of farming on soil compaction and the amount of plant residues. The experiments included 9 treatments based on split plot design in a randomized complete block with three replications in Mashhad Agricultural Research Station of Torogh, Iran. The treatments were consisted of three different tillage practices at three levels (1- conventional tillage, 2- reduced tillage, 3- No-tillage) and crop residue management at three levels (1- without residue, 2- retains 30% residue, 3- preserved remains 60%). Some physical parameters of soil such as cone index, bulk density, mean weight diameter and aggregate soil moisture content were measured in this study. The results showed that the effect of various tillage methods on all of the studied indices was significant. The effect of management methods on plant residues were also significant on cone index and moisture content of the soil. The effect of interaction of two factors on cone index for some depths of the soil and soil moisture content was significant.