Abundance and depth stratification of soil arthropods as influenced by tillage regimes in a sandy loam soil

Different tillage regimes can change soil micro‐environmental characteristics, which may influence the distribution and abundance of soil arthropods. In this study, soil arthropods and soil properties under a winter wheat–summer maize cropping system were investigated in different tillage regimes over four seasons at two depths. The tillage treatments included conventional tillage (CT ), tillage once a year (T1), tillage every two years (T2) and no‐tillage (NT ). The results showed that the primary taxa of soil arthropod were Acarina (65.8%), Collembola (28.5%), Diplura (1.4%) and Coleoptera (1%) over the whole sampling period. The total arthropod density was influenced by tillage treatments and season of sampling. Values for CT plots were significantly greater than those for the NT plots in autumn and spring. In contrast, the Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H’) and the evenness index (J) were relatively higher in CT treatment. The Acarina/Collembola (A/C) ratio was significantly smaller in NT treatment for some sampling seasons as mites were more sensitive to tillage practices. The QBS ‐ar index did not show a clear pattern among treatments in this study. Soil arthropods notably showed seasonal variation in depth stratification. Relative to CT , the total soil arthropods in the NT plots tended to concentrate in the upper layer due to soil compaction in the lower layer. The climate conditions and soil physical properties were the main factors affecting the soil arthropod distribution and composition, as the soil chemical and microbial properties did not differ significantly among all tillage treatments.     

Effects of tillage and seeding methods on soil physical properties and yield of upland rice for an ultisol in southeast Nigeria

The yield of direct-seeded and transplanted upland rice was investigated for seven tillage methods for an ultisol in a high rainfall region of southeastern Nigeria. The tillage methods were: two compaction passes of a 6-t roller with and without residue mulch; six compaction passes with mulch; ploughing with and without mulch and no-till with and without mulch. Soil compaction decreased seedling emergence and shoot and root growth. Residue mulching decreased seedling emergence by 35.6% in direct-seeded rice. There were more leaves, productive tillers and dry matter in the ploughed plots. Root densities at 10–20- and 20–30-cm depths were higher by 157 and 47%, respectively, in ploughed treatments. The highest grain yields of 6.3 and 6.1 Mg ha⁻¹ in ploughed plots for the first and second seasons, respectively, were associated with greater uptake of P, Na, Fe and Zn at flowering and of N, Mg, K, Mn and Cu at both maximum tillering and flowering growth stages. The grain yield in the first season was 2.1 and 2.5 Mg ha⁻¹ for two- and six-compaction pass mulched plots, respectively. In the second season, the yields of no-till and compacted treatments were identical and ranged from 1.5 to 2.4 Mg ha⁻¹. Mulching decreased grain yield by 43, 27 and 12% on compacted, no-till and ploughed plots, respectively, due to transient flooding and mechanical impedance to seedling emergence by the mulch cover. Within the unmulched treatments, ploughing increased rice yield by 71 and 35% over two compaction passes and the no-till treatments, respectively. The least bulk density and penetrometer resistance were also observed in ploughed plots.     

不同耕作方式对水稻产量和土壤肥力的影响

于2005～2006年在双季稻田研究了不同耕作方式对水稻生长、产量和土壤肥力的影响。结果表明:免耕抛秧水稻根干重低于翻耕移栽稻,根系绝大部分分布在表层土壤,根系活力比翻耕处理的高,分蘖时间比翻耕移栽的早而比翻耕抛秧的迟;每公顷有效穗数略低于翻耕抛秧而高于翻耕移栽,结实率高于翻耕处理。随着免耕次数的增加,各处理产量基本持平;免耕1年有利于土壤物理性质的改善,免耕有利于土壤养分在表层土壤富集。     

Effects of soil management practices and tillage systems on surface soil water conservation and crust formation on a sandy loam in semi-arid Kenya

The effect of different soil management practices on crust strength and thickness, soil water conservation and crop performance was investigated on a ferric lixisol in a semi-arid environment of eastern Kenya.

The study proved that manure and mulching with minimum tillage have a greater effect on the water balance of crusted soils and maize emergence. There was increase in steady infiltration rates, amount of soil water stored in the soil and better drainage. The physical effect of mulch was less important in the rehabilitation of crusted soils in the study site when it was incorporated into the soil. Manure and surface mulch with minimum tillage should therefore be taken into account in land management and water conservation in the semi-arid areas of Kenya. The response of crops to the improved water availability due to manure with minimum and with conventional tillage and surface mulch was very clear. These management practices should be recommended when considering the effectiveness of soil and water management techniques in the study area.     

Effects of tillage and crop rotation on physical properties of a loam soil

Advances in the development of non-residual herbicides have increased the interest in minimum tillage systems as an alternative to conventional cultivation. This study compared the effects of conventional tillage (CT), minimum tillage (MT) and zero-till (ZT) with continuous winter wheat, winter wheat-summerfallow, and winter wheat-barley-summerfallow on various properties of a Brown Chernozemic loam. Saturated hydraulic conductivity (HC), soil moisture retention, bulk density (BD) and infiltration rate of the soil were measured. The effects of crop rotation by tillage or crop rotation on these soil physical properties were not significant after 8 years of tillage. In general, the BD of the soil under ZT was greater than that under CT in the tillage zone and was lower below the tillage zone. The HC of ZT soil was less than that of CT soil in the tillage zone and greater below the tillage zone. Infiltration rates were not different among the tillage treatments. Although significant differences in some soil properties occurred among tillage treatments, these differences were likely to be too small to affect crop production.     

The effect of machinery traffic on the physical properties of a sandy loam soil and on the yield of sorghum in north-eastern Nigeria

To assess the damage done to sorghum production by soil compaction from vehicular traffic, a randomized complete block design of field plots was selected to comprise treatments of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 passes of a tractor with 31 kPa contact pressure in a sandy loam soil. Agronomical treatments were kept the same for all the plots. The soil dry bulk density and penetrometer resistance for each applied load were measured and the yield from each treatment was determined.

Results indicated higher dry bulk density and penetration resistance with increase in the number of tractor passes. Both the head weight and total plant yield of sorghum increased with increases in the number of tractor passes up to a point, and then decreased with further increases and penetration resistance in terms of the number of tractor passes and contact pressure.     

Effects of conservation tillage on hydraulic properties of a Griswold silt loam soil

The effects of conservation tillage (CT) systems on crop production and erosion control have been well documented, but limited information is available concerning the effects of different CT systems on the hydraulic properties of layered soils. The effects of three CT treatments: chisel (CH), no-tillage (NT) and till-plant (TP) as compared with conventional modlboard plowing (CN) were investigated on a Griswold silt loam soil (Typic Argiudoll), formed in loess overlaying glacial till. Hydraulic properties were determined in situ. In addition, hydraulic conductivity was determined in the laboratory where more detailed hydraulic conductivity changes were monitored for the lower soil moisture tension range near soil saturation.

At or near saturation, there was no difference in hydraulic properties for all four tillage treatments. For example, mean saturated hydraulic conductivities (from laboratory determination) were 25.5, 25.1, 24.2 and 22.8 cm day⁻¹ for CN, CH, TP and NT, respectively. However under unsaturated conditions, tillage treatments and soil layering (discontinuity between surface loess and glacial till beneath) affected hydraulic properties. In situ hydraulic conductivity (K) ranked CH>CN = NT = TP for the 0.32–0.33 m³ m⁻³ moisture content range. There were no differences in K for all treatments at other moisture ranges considered and at moisture contents 0.31 m³ m⁻³, in situ specific moisture capacity was, however, significantly lower in NT than in the other three treatments. Throughout the 20-day free drainage period for in situ K determination, the effect of layering is exhibited by the mean K values at the 50-cm depth being higher than those at 25 cm. There were negligible treatment-block interaction effects on the hydraulic properties as the soil became drier. Spatial variability in hydraulic properties was also noted for all treatments and soil depths considered.     

Relationships between soil macroaggregation and humic carbon in a sandy loam soil following conservation tillage

Purpose

Humic substances are recalcitrant and might act as persistent binding agents to form macroaggregates. The focus of this study is in investigating the contribution of humic carbon (HC) to soil aggregation in response to various tillage and residue managements.

Materials and methods

Arable soils following 8-year contrasting managements were collected to determine aggregate size distribution and stability and HC fractions including humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA). The contribution of HC to aggregation was divided into three special effects including positive effect (PE), negative effect (NE), and combined effect (CE), and these effects were measured using aggregate fractionation techniques.

Results and discussion

As well as to promote structural stability, HC bounds predominantly with the silt + clay fraction and secondarily with microaggregates to form larger aggregates. The PE increased with increasing aggregate size, whereas the NE followed the opposite pattern. A positive CE was observed for large and small macroaggregates, whereas the CE for microaggregates and the silt + clay fraction was negative. Compared to continuous tillage, reduced- and no-tillage decreased the PE for large and small macroaggregates by 1.58–30.98% at the 0–20 cm depth, and straw returning also slightly decreased the corresponding PE relative to straw removing. By contrast, a significantly higher NE for small macroaggregates at the 0–10 cm depth while 6.33–81.11% decreases in CE for large and small macroaggregates at the 0–10 cm depth as well as for large macroaggregates at the 10–20 cm depth, were observed under reduced- and no-tillage. The extraction of HC significantly reduced the aggregate stability and reduced- and no-tillage effectively limited its decrease magnitude. Small macroaggregates and microaggregates made larger contributions to soil HC accumulation than did other fractions. An averagely increased contribution from large or small macroaggregates was observed under both reduced-/no-tillage and straw returning at the 0–20 cm depth. A significant and positive relationship was found between the mass proportion of macroaggregates and the HC accumulation in 0–20 cm soil. Large macroaggregates had significantly higher HA/FA ratios than small macroaggregates, and reduced- and no-tillage significantly increased these ratios both in large and in small macroaggregates. The CE for large or small macroaggregates was also significantly negatively correlated with their HA/FA ratios.

Conclusions

Overall, the HC accumulation in soil is likely to play a key role in macroaggregation, but conservation tillage might decrease the contribution magnitude of HC to large or small macroaggregation through increasing the corresponding HA/FA ratios.

     

Weed seed bank composition under three long-term tillage regimes on a fine sandy loam in Atlantic Canada

Tillage systems can influence weed seed viability and the distribution with depth of weed seeds in soil. To investigate this ‘tillage effect’, weed seed bank composition was determined at two soil depths (0–10 and 10–20 cm) in three tillage systems [mouldboard plough (MP), shallow tillage (ST), and direct drilling (DD)] established for 14 years on a sandy loam (Podzol) in Prince Edward Island, Atlantic Canada. The cropping system was a cool-season soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) in rotation with barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). The objectives were to evaluate the size and composition of the viable soil seed bank, using the seedling germination method, and to determine if the adoption of non-inversion tillage practices (DD and ST) influence seed bank parameters relative to the conventional full inversion MP. The diversity of weed species was slightly lower for MP (17 species) compared to the ST (21 species) and DD treatments (22 species). The population for most weed species was relatively low with only three common species [low cudweed (Gnaphalium uliginosum L.), creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens L.), common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L.)] above 5 m⁻². For the total soil depth sampled (0–20 cm), weed seed population was significantly greater under DD (56 weeds m⁻²) and ST (66 weeds m⁻²), compared to MP (25 weeds m⁻²), and mainly related to changes in the number of annual broadleaf weeds, compared to perennial broadleaf and grasses. Comparison of the 0–10 with the 10–20 cm soil depth showed a relatively uniform weed seed distribution for the MP treatment, while a greater proportion of weed seeds was found at the lower soil depth for DD and ST. This distribution tended to be weed species dependent. Soil texture and weed seed characteristics were considered to have a critical impact on the total weed seed bank size, specifically for the 10–20 cm soil depth. Overall, the weed bank size was relatively small indicating that adoption of conservation tillage practices for sandy loams in Atlantic Canada should not cause a major change in weed community and weed populations, or present a need for significant changes in weed control management.     

不同耕作方式与秸秆还田对土壤酶活性及水稻产量的影响

为探索不同耕作方式与秸秆还田对土壤酶活性及水稻产量的影响,在水稻抽穗期、灌浆期、成熟期,对土壤过氧化氢酶、酸性磷酸酶、脲酶、蔗糖酶活性进行测定。试验共设置6个处理,分别为：免耕+全量秸秆还田（NTS）、麦耕稻免+半还田（RT1）、麦免稻耕+半还田（RT2）、翻耕+全量还田（CTS）、少耕+半还田（MTS）、连耕+不还田（CT）。结果表明：（1）各处理的土壤酶活性均随土壤深度的增加而下降;（2）土壤酶在不同时期活性差异显著,过氧化氢酶和酸性磷酸酶活性在3个时期先减后增,脲酶和蔗糖酶活性则与之相反;（3）在0～7和7～14 cm土层中,NTS处理土壤酶活性最高,显著高于其他处理,与CT处理相比,抽穗期NTS处理过氧化氢酶、酸性磷酸酶、脲酶、蔗糖酶活性在0～7 cm土层分别提高了121.38%、57.44%、63.37%、80.92%,在7～14 cm土层分别提高了130.42%、40.61%、52.40%、85.23%,在14～21 cm土层中,不同耕作方式对土壤酶活性无显著影响,秸秆还田处理下的土壤酶活性>秸秆不还田处理,与CT处理相比,抽穗期CTS处理过氧化氢酶、酸性磷酸酶、脲酶...     

The effects of different management practices on the physical properties of a sandy loam soil in Southern Nigeria

The effects of different management practices on the physical properties of a sandy loam soil in Southern Nigeria were studied for two cropping seasons. The bulk densities of the top 0–10-cm soil depths were significantly reduced in plots under 13 years of Panicum maximum and Centrosema pubescens covers. Pores of equivalent cylindrical diameter > 0.05 mm were increased significantly under the two covers. Up to 33% of the saturation water content was released between tensions of 0 and 0.06 bar in the sandy loam soil of all the treatment plots. Furthermore an average of 24% of this water was released between tensions of 0.06 and 0.33 bar. Infiltration rates, measured at the end of the growing season, ranged from 240 mm h⁻¹ under the bare fallow treatment to 1326 mm h⁻¹ under the Centrosema cover. There was no significant difference between the tilled and no-tillage plots. Saturated hydraulic conductivities were significantly higher under the Panicum and Centrosema covers. The effect of tillage on conductivity was not appreciable. The highest weekly 5-cm depth, 1.30 p.m. soil temperature (32°C) was obtained under the bare fallow treatment and the lowest (23.5°) under the Panicum cover. Tillage had no significant effect on the soil temperature. Thirteen years of continuous Centrosema and Panicum covers had a significant effect on the physical properties of the tropical sandy loam soil. Tillage effects were not significant after 2 years of cropping.     

Effects of alternative tillage systems on soil quality and yield of spring cereals on silty clay loam and sandy loam soils in the cool, wet climate of central Norway

Tillage trials were established on a poorly drained silty loam overlying silty clay loam and on a freely drained sandy loam overlying medium sand, in 1988 and 1989, respectively. Autumn and spring ploughing and two ploughless systems were compared for 12–13 years, with three replications at each site. The ploughless treatments comprised deep versus shallow spring harrowing until 1999, and thereafter autumn plus spring harrowing versus spring harrowing only. In 6 years, treatments with and without fungal spraying of the cereal crops were included. In other years, fungicides were not used. Perennial weeds were controlled by herbicides as necessary, on nine occasions up until 2001. Average spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and spring oat (Avena sativa L.) yields were similar with spring ploughing as with autumn ploughing at both sites. In treatments without ploughing, average yields on the silty loam over clay were 93% of those obtained with ploughing, and on the sandy loam over sand they were 81%. Smaller and non-significant yield differences were found between spring harrowing versus deep spring harrowing, and between autumn plus spring harrowing versus spring harrowing only. Fungal spraying increased yields markedly at both sites (25%), but there was no significant interaction between this treatment and tillage system. Oat was compared with barley in 2 years, with oat performing better under ploughless tillage. At both sites increases in penetrometer resistance occurred in the topsoil of unploughed treatments. These were considered particularly limiting on the sandy loam. On the silty loam there was an increase in surface horizon porosity in the absence of ploughing, which was associated with an increase in topsoil organic matter content. On this soil there was also a tendency toward lower penetrometer resistance at >30 cm depth on autumn plus spring harrowed soil than on ploughed soil, indicating that the plough pan may have diminished. This was supported by observations of greater earthworm activity on unploughed soil. Soil chemical analyses revealed that mineral N and plant-available P and K accumulated in the upper horizon under ploughless tillage. The percentage yields obtained in individual years with autumn as opposed to spring ploughing, were positively correlated with air temperature during 0–4 weeks after planting on the silty loam, and with precipitation during 0–12 weeks after planting on the sandy loam. In the case of yields obtained with spring harrowing only, relative to spring ploughing, positive correlations were found with 0–4 week temperature on both soil types, suggesting that low early season temperatures may limit yields under ploughless tillage.     

Performance evaluation of tillage tines operating under different depths in a sandy clay loam soil

The study investigated the performance of three model tillage tools (tines). The experimental tillages were made from flat 8 mm plain carbon steel. They were designated T1, T5, and T20, corresponding to tine widths of 1, 5, and 20 cm respectively. Experiments were carried out in a soil bin filled with sandy clay loam soil at average moisture content 11.5% (dry basis) and 600 kPa average cone index. The plastic limit and liquid limit and plasticity index of the soil are 20%, 31% and 11% respectively. Tests were conducted at forward speeds of 0.28, 1.0, and 2.5 m/s. Depths of operation considered were 35, 70, 150, 200 and 250 mm. Draught measurements were made for the different tines and were also calculated using soil mechanics equation. There was reasonable agreement between measured and predicted draught forces. The effects of depth of operation on draught force of the tines were studied and evaluated. It was observed that draught increased at an increasing rate with depth; the relationship was a curvilinear one best fitted by exponential function. The soil disturbance created as a result was also evaluated and reported in this paper. The parameters used to define soil disturbance of a single tine were: ridge-to-ridge distance (RRD), maximum width of soil cut (WFS), maximum width of soil throw (TDW), after furrow depth (df), height of ridge (hr) and rupture distance (f). They all increased as the depth of operation of the tool increased but less proportionately. The critical depth of the tines was also estimated.The results of analysis of variance showed that tool type and operating depth significantly affected draught at 5% level of significance (p < 0.05) and that, there was interaction between the two factors.     

保护性耕作对土壤物理特性及玉米产量的影响

保护性耕作措施是干旱区农田提高作物产量的新型耕作技术。为了探讨其区域适应性,在2004～2007年期间,以毛乌素沙地南缘的靖边县北部风沙区农田为研究对象,选用了免耕、秸秆覆盖、覆膜和传统翻耕(CK)4种措施,采用完全随机试验设计进行了田间定位试验研究。结果表明,秸秆覆盖和免耕地的地温在春播初期略比传统翻耕低0.1℃,但随后迅速回升,覆膜在玉米生长期都高于其他措施。耕作措施对播种前土壤容重没有显著影响,而对收获后土壤容重影响显著,与传统翻耕相比,免耕降低了表层土壤容重1.65%,但次层20～40 cm容重增加了1.8%。3种保护性耕作措施均增加了土壤含水量,顺序依次为秸秆覆盖>覆膜>免耕>翻耕,且在作物需水关键期免耕和秸秆覆盖下的土壤含水量相对稳定,保证作物需水,提高水分利用率,分别为8%、22.0%和13.3%。使作物分别增产4.44%、13.14%和19.26%。因此,保护性耕作在风沙区有利于改善农田土壤物理条件,提高作物产量,适于在风沙区推广。     

轮耕对土壤物理性状及水稻产量影响的初步研究

针对南方稻田连续免耕存在的主要问题,进行了土壤轮耕效应的初步研究。试验选择双季稻区连续7年免耕稻田,设置免耕、旋耕和翻耕3种耕作处理（即免耕-免耕,免耕-旋耕和免耕-翻耕）,早稻和晚稻采取同-耕作措施。研究结果表明：连续免耕后进行土壤耕作（翻耕、旋耕）可以降低耕作层土壤容重,增加土壤水贮量,尤为翻耕显著,早、晚稻均表现为这-趋势;晚稻收获时,表层0～5cm的毛管孔隙度表现为免耕-翻耕、免耕-旋耕在5％水平上显著高于免耕-免耕,而下层差异不显著;早、晚稻晒田时,表层0～5cm原状土饱和导水率均表现为免耕～翻耕在5％水平上显著高于免耕-免耕和免耕-旋耕,而5～10cm无显著性差异;早、晚稻的实际产量均表现为免耕-旋耕〉免耕-翻耕〉免耕-免耕,起主要作用的构成因素是有效穗数。     

优化控释尿素施用方式提高沙质低肥力土壤水稻产量和品质

[目的]苏北黄河故道带低肥力沙性土壤保水保肥能力差,研究控释尿素施用技术对水稻产量和稻米营养品质与口感的影响,为该地区水稻优质生产的肥料管理提供科学依据.[方法]以中熟中粳水稻品种'苏秀867'为材料,在苏北黄河故道带低地力沙性土壤上进行了2年田间试验.采用裂区设计,主区为控释肥和尿素复混全部基施(BC)与控释肥和尿素...     

Effects of deficit irrigation and transplanting methods of irrigated rice on soil physical properties and rice yield

This study evaluated how deficit irrigation and method of transplanting irrigated rice affected soil physical properties in the short term and rice yields under cultivation that did not involve wet levelling (puddling). Field experiments were conducted in 2009 and 2010 at Sakha Agric. Res. Sta., Egypt. Planting methods were as follows: traditional transplanting into flat flooded soil (M₁), transplanting into furrows (M₂) and into beds (M₃). The deficit irrigation treatments were as follows: irrigation every 6 days between transplanting and 2 weeks before harvesting, reference method (I₁), irrigation as in I₁ but with a continuous period of 12 days without irrigation (i.e. one irrigation event missed) at heading (I₂), irrigation as in I₁ but with an event missed at the beginning of tillering and at the start of head development (I₃) and irrigation as in I₁ but with 3 missed events, one each at the beginning of tillering, the start of the head development and panicle initiation (I₄). Results showed that relative to soil conditions before planting, both rice transplanting methods and deficit irrigation decreased soil bulk density, water holding pores percentage, fine capillary pores percentage and soil shear strength, whereas drainable porosity percentage increased. Soil cracked more under the reference treatment than under the other treatments. Rice transplanting into beds and maintaining irrigation every 6 days without any irrigation skip, treatment (I₁ × M₃), appeared appropriate for growing rice. This combination resulted in soil physical properties favourable for plant growth, producing the largest grain and straw yields of all the treatments.     

An approach for draft prediction of combination tillage implements in sandy clay loam soil

A methodology to predict the draft requirements of combination tillage implements in any soil and operating conditions was developed. This methodology required the draft requirements of individual tillage implements in undisturbed soil condition and draft utilization ratio of the rear passive set of combination tillage implement, which is defined as the ratio of the drafts of the rear passive set operating in combination and individually. Laboratory experiments were conducted to measure the draft requirements of a reference tillage tool (single disk), three scale-model individual (moldboard plow, cultivator and disk gang) and two combination (moldboard plow with disk gang and cultivator with disk gang) tillage implements at different depths (5, 7.5 and 10 cm), speeds (1.2, 2.2, 3.2 and 4.2 km/h), wet bulk densities (in the range of 1.27–1.85 g/cm³) and cone index penetration resistance values (in the range of 445–1450 kPa) in soil bin filled with sandy clay loam soil. The average draft utilization ratio of the reference tillage tool obtained were analyzed by both orthogonal and multiple regression techniques to develop the regression equation considering soil properties, operating and tool parameters. The developed draft equation based on the above mentioned methodology was verified with the data obtained for the draft of scale-model and prototype combination tillage implements in the laboratory and field conditions, respectively. It was found that the developed equation predicted the draft of both combination tillage implements within an average absolute variation of 18.0 and 13.5%, respectively.     

轮耕对土壤物理性状和冬小麦产量的影响

针对华北地区土壤连续单一耕作存在的主要问题,进行了土壤轮耕效应的研究。试验选择冬小麦夏玉米玉两熟区连续5 a免耕田,设置免耕、翻耕和旋耕3种轮耕处理（即免耕一免耕,免耕一翻耕和免耕一旋耕）,冬小麦播种前进行耕作处理。研究结果表明：多年免耕后进行土壤耕作（翻耕、旋耕）可以显著降低土壤体积质量;旋耕显著降低0～10 cm土壤体积质量,翻耕则降低0～20 cm体积质量;随时间变化各处理土壤体积质量差异逐渐降低。翻耕、旋耕均显著增加了0～10 cm土壤总孔隙,同时翻耕显著增加了10～20 cm土壤总孔隙;翻耕、旋耕显著提高了5～10 cm毛管孔隙。0～10 cm土壤饱和导水率表现为旋耕＞翻耕＞免耕,翻耕、旋耕在5%水平上显著高于免耕;10～20、20～30 cm土层均表现为翻耕＞旋耕＞免耕,且10～20 cm翻耕5%水平上显著高于免耕;饱和导水率与体积质量呈显著线性负相关。翻耕、旋耕有效穗数与免耕相比分别提高了24.1%、22.3%;冬小麦的实际产量表现为：旋耕＞翻耕＞免耕,翻耕、旋耕分别比免耕增产11.8%、16.9%。总之,长期免耕后进行土壤耕作有利于改善土壤物理性状,提高作物产量。