The influence of different tillage practices on soil physical characteristics.

The field trial was carried out over the period 2004-2006 at the experimental farm PD Kalna nad Hronom in south-western Slovakia. The aim of the research was to evaluate the conventional and reduced tillage. Three tillage practices on selected physical soil characteristics were evaluated. The sugar beet-spring barley- sunflower crop sequence was evaluated. The soil tillage treatments as follows: T1 conventional mould board ploughing with farm yard manure application to sugar beet and incorporation of post harvest residues of spring barley and sunflower; T2 conventional mould board ploughing; T3 no-till Horsch CONCORD CO 9. During June the soil samples were taken from 0.05-0.10m, 0.1-0.20m, 0.2-0.3m. The total porosity, soil bulk density and soil moisture was evaluated. The differences between soil layer and crops growing in different years were ascertained. The SBD and total porosity was highly significantly influenced by weather condition and growing crops of evaluated years and SBD was also significantly influenced by tillage system. The positive effect of FYM on total porosity was noted in 2004 during sugar beat phase which is in relationship with SBD 1.266 t m 3 and 1.279 t m 3 in topsoil layers 0.5-0.20m. In subsequent evaluated years 2005-2006 the topsoil layers 0.5-0.20m were more compacted with comparison to 2004 after first year of FYM application. In three year average, the conventional mould board ploughing with farm yard manure form the most suitable soil environment (SBD, total porosity and soil humidity retention) but we also recommended the no-till for this specific area of Slovak region.