Rotary subsoiling newly planted winter wheat fields to improve infiltration in frozen soil

Water erosion and runoff can be severe due to poor infiltration through frozen soil in the dryland wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production region of the inland Pacific Northwest (PNW), USA. For more than 70 years, farmers and researchers have used various methods of subsoiling to reduce runoff and erosion and to improve infiltration and soil moisture storage. The practice and equipment have evolved from chiseling continuous open channels across hillslopes to the rotary subsoiler that pits the soil. Farmers often subsoil wheat stubble after harvest, but do not employ this practice on newly planted winter wheat fields. These fields are especially vulnerable to erosion because of meager residue cover after a year of fallow. A 6-year field study was conducted in eastern Washington to determine the effect of rotary subsoiling in newly planted winter wheat on over-winter water storage, erosion, infiltration, and grain yield. There were two treatments, rotary subsoiling and control. The rotary subsoiler created one 40 cm-deep pit with 4 L capacity every 0.7 m². Natural precipitation did not cause rill erosion in either treatment because of mild winters during the study period. Net change in water stored over winter was significantly (P < 0.05) improved with rotary subsoiling compared to the control in 2 of 6 years. Grain yield was not affected by treatments in any year or when averaged over years. In 2003, we simulated rainfall for approximately 3 h at a rate of 18 mm/h on both subsoiled and control plots to determine runoff and erosion responses on frozen soils. Rotary subsoiling reduced runoff (P < 0.01) by 38%. Rotary subsoiling also significantly reduced erosion (P < 0.01) during the 20–45 min period after runoff had begun. The total quantities of eroded soils were 1.3 and 3.4 Mg/ha for the subsoiled and control treatments, respectively, with inter-rill the dominant erosion process. The average infiltration rate for the control treatment (3.3 mm/h) was half of the rate for the subsoiled treatment (6.6 mm/h), at the end of the 3 h simulation. Rotary subsoiling of newly-planted winter wheat can increase soil moisture stored over-winter and reduce runoff and soil loss on frozen soils, but the benefit of this practice for increasing grain yield has not been proven.