Climate challenges and solutions in soil tillage

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to study the effects of climate induced phenomena occurred in arable soils in the first half of year, 2013. The problem was investigated in a long-term trial on a preserved Chernozem soil and further assessments were performed on Luvisols and a Gleysol which have seriously suffered from climate extremes. Eight types of the soil deterioration were studied from the formation to the state that has changed for the worse. These phenomena were as follows (1) dust formation in the soil surface as the effect of the periodic frost, (2) silting of the dust, due to the periodic and heavy rains, (3) dust leaching into the soil and extending the former compacted layer, (4) soil settling due to the repeated rainfall, (5) strong crust formation in the silted surface both in soils to be unsown and in the rows of the crops. (6) remaining the crusty structure in long-term, (7) over compacting of the seedbed-base, (8) limited crop rooting in the over settled soils. Soil condition improvement may be expected to take place after the passage of 2-3 years, in the wake of soil conservation tillage practices.