Relating Immediate Changes in Bulk Density to Changes in Hydraulic Properties on a Silty Clay Loam Under Different Tillage Systems in the Czech Republic

Conservation tillage options in Europe have not seen the same adoption rate as compared to its widespread use in the Americas and other equally advanced nations partly because most of studies on the practice have been done outside the region. This study exploited temporal and spatial changes in bulk density and their influences on the changes in some hydraulic functions of a Haplic Luvisol under three tillage options: (1) reduced tillage (RT), (2) strategic tillage (ST), and (3) conventional tillage (CT). While dry bulk densities on RT and ST were stable through the two phases of the experiments, values on CT decreased significantly after the tillage and seeding operations. No significant relationship between temporal changes in dry bulk density and volumetric water content was observed. The statistically insignificant changes in dry bulk density on RT and ST produced similar outcomes in saturated hydraulic conductivity improvements on CT linked to the lower dry bulk density values. Changes in dry bulk density on all the tillage options did not have any significant effect on the changes in unsaturated hydraulic conductivity. Overall, the RT and ST practices produce more stable dry bulk density values and can serve as sustainable alternatives in improving soil water relationships, while variations in dry bulk density are not strongly correlated with hydraulic properties, sidelining the historic reliance on CT practices in this region.