Substantiation of tillage methods aimed at rational usage of water resources

Abstract

In the article the results of theoretical substantiation and field trials of various tillage methods aimed at increasing the efficiency of water distribution in the soil use during potato growing are presented. The substantiation of rational tillage methodswas made taking into account the physical phenomenon of thermoelectrokinesis. This phenomenon is valid for any capillary anisothermal systems including the root spreading horizon. Cultivator for deep soil loosening leaves in the treated zone huge numerous capillary channels and large pores. It leads to decreases of the intensity of heating of the treated soil layers due to their less thermal conductivity. Measurements of soil temperature, moisture content and level of rainfall throughout the growing period of potatoes have shown that decreasing of the intensity of soil heating leads to the stabilization of the temperature on the depth 15 cm and 17 % increasing of the total water content in the root spreading zone on the depth till 90 cm. The use of methods of deep soil loosening in technologies of potato growing makes it possible to use water resources more rationally thanks to reducing the water losses due to overheating the top soil layers. Deep loosening also helps avoid wet spots in the potato field due to good water infiltration to the lower layer via big pores in the treated soil.