Influences of tillage operations on soil translocation over sloping land by hoeing tillage

Very few studies have investigated the factors affecting soil displacement and tillage erosion by hoeing tillage. This study adopted a magnetic tracer method to investigate the influences of hoe form and tillage depth on soil translocation over steep hillslopes in Southwest China using a new type of magnetic tracer, i.e., ilmenite powder. Ilmenite powder enhanced the magnetic sensitivity of soil at the end position of tracer distribution, and improved the accuracy and efficiency of tillage translocation measurements. Tillage translocation by wide and perforated hoes was found to be significantly correlated with slope gradient (P < 0.01), however, no significant correlation was found for narrow and bidentate hoe tillage (P > 0.05). Compared with wide hoes, the tillage erosion rates resulting from the use of narrow, perforated and bidentate hoes were reduced by 12.4%, 11.0%, and 16.3%, respectively, indicating that changes in hoe forms resulted in a marked decrease in downslope soil translocation and tillage erosion. Tillage erosion rate decreased by 64% when the tillage depth was reduced from 0.26 to 0.14 m. These results suggest that innovations in hoe form and reductions in tillage depth are important means to manage tillage erosion due to hoeing.