Tillage tests I. Effect of subsoiling and mole drainage upon the minimum infiltration capacity of a heavy claypan soil of the tropics

Abstract

Data are presented here on the minimum infiltration capacity of a heavy claypan soil under different tillage treatments. The experiment was laid out following a triple lattice design. The mean rate of infiltration at the eighth hour of an undisturbed pasture plot was 0.5 inches per hour. The minimum infiltration capacity of the check plots which, were plowed and harrowed four times was 5.6 inches per hour. This rapid rate of infiltration in the check plots suggests the possibility of lateral flow instead of down-ward movement of water in the plots where the tight claypan layer was disturbed either by subsoiling or by subsoiling and mole drainage. The plots that received the subsoiling and subsoiling and mole-drainage treat ments had significantly higher rates of infiltration than the control plots.