Haying, tillage, and nitrogen fertilization influences on infiltration rates at a conservation reserve program site

Effect of haying (hayed or not hayed prior to tillage), tillage (no-tillage, minimum tillage, or conventional tillage), and N fertilization (0 or 67 kg ha(-1)) on surface infiltration rates, Q(h), was evaluated for Conservation Research Program (CRP) site conversion. Soils included Amor loam (fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Haplustoll) and Cabba silt loam (loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, frigid, shallow Typic Ustorthent), In reference plots Q(h) increased from 1995 to 1997 (27.2 +/- 3.2 vs. 36.4 +/- 2.9 mm h(-1) at 50-mm tension, 10.9 +/- 1.2 vs. 20.6 +/- 1.4 mm h(-1) at 100-mm tension, and 4.1 +/- 0.6 vs. 10.9 +/- 1.1 mm h(-1) at 150 mm-tension) under permanent vegetation. Plots hayed prior to tillage exhibited higher Q(h) when no fertilizer was applied than plots hayed and fertilized or not hayed (31.9 +/- 2.9 vs. 23.3 +/- 1.3 mm h(-1) at 50-mm tension and 18.1 +/- 1.3 vs. 13.5 +/- 0.6 mm h(-1) at 100-mm tension). As tillage intensity increased, Q(h) at 50-mm tension increased (20.1 +/- 2.6 mm h(-1) under no-tillage, 25.5 +/- 1.6 mm h(-1) under minimum tillage, and 30.1 +/- 2.0 mm h(-1) under conventional tillage), Q(h) did not change from 1995 to 1997 in cropped plots.