Hydraulic Properties of a Cultivated Soil in Temperate Continental Climate Determined by Mini Disk Infiltrometer

• Main Authors: Kamila Báťková, Markéta Miháliková, Svatopluk Matula
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-03-01
• Series: Water
• Subjects: mini disk infiltrometer; hydraulic conductivity; hood infiltrometer; macropores quantification; tillage treatments
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/3/843

Hydraulic conductivity at and near saturation (<i>Ks</i> and <i>K</i>(<i>h</i>)) are among the most important characteristics defining water behavior in soil. Characterization of possibilities, advantages and limitations of the Mini Disk infiltrometer (MDI) for <i>Ks</i> and <i>K</i>(<i>h</i>) determination in comparison with Hood infiltrometer (HI) was the main aim of this study. The MDI device was subjected to testing on a cultivated silty clay loam soil under three different tillage treatments; conventional, reduced and no-tillage plot. The results are based on 72 infiltration experiments carried out during four experimental phases within one year. Steady-state and transient data analysis methods were applied. <i>K</i>(<i>h</i>) values were determined for van Genuchten hydraulic parameters taken from different sources (two versions of User&#8217;s manual, Rosetta). The results show suitability of MDI to determine <i>K</i>(<i>h</i>) of tested soil; clear differences have been observed between the <i>K(h</i>) values measured on plots with different tillage treatment. However, these values were significantly lower (ANOVA, <i>&#945;</i> = 0.05) than those measured by HI. MDI based data were reflecting seasonal changes in structure and pore-size distribution with quantification of macropore contribution to the total saturated flux. Application of <i>K</i>(<i>h</i>) MDI data for fine-textured and structural soils evaluated before 2010 should be reconsidered.