SOIL PHYSICAL-PROPERTIES AS INFLUENCED BY INDUCED COMPACTION UNDER LABORATORY AND FIELD CONDITIONS

Soil compaction changes the ability of soil to hold water, decreases infiltration rate and saturated hydraulic conductivity, and increases penetration resistance. The compaction characteristics of a clay loam were studied under various compaction loads and antecedent soil water contents. Soil water content had a more pronounced effect than load. The penetration resistance varied with water content, whereas saturated hydraulic conductivity decreased with increase in the bulk density. The compaction effects were more pronounced in the surface 0.1 m, but were negligible at 0. 1-0. 2 m depth when compaction was employed at available water levels up to 40%. The narrow range of suitable soil moisture for tillage operations requires the use of appropriate practices to reduce spatial variability in surface soil moisture.