Mechanized tillage systems effects on soil erosion from an alfisol in watersheds cropped to maize

The degradative effects of mechanized farming operations on soils in the tropics are not widely documented. This study was conducted to quantify the effects of mechanized no-till and conventional tillage systems on runoff, erosion and changes in soil properties. Experiments were conducted on twin watersheds of about 5 ha each. Only the conventionally plowed watershed was terraced to control erosion. Measurements made with a rate-measuring H-Flume indicated that runoff and erosion from the terraced and conventionally tilled watershed were several times greater, compared with the unter-raced no-till watershed. Cumulative runoff in 1979 was 10 times and erosion 42.2 times higher from the plowed watershed than from the no-till watershed. The infiltration capacity 5 years after land development was 3.8 cm h^?1 for the plowed and 10.4 for the no-till watershed. Surface soil from the no-till watershed retained more water at all soil water potentials than that from the plowed treatment. The gravel content in the surface layer of the plowed watershed was 25.1%, compared with 15.8% in the no-till watershed. The maize grain yield from the twelfth consecutive crop was 3 Mg ha^?1 for the no-till and 1 Mg ha^?1 for the plowed watershed.