RT Journal Article
T1 Assessment of tillage erosion by mouldboardplough in Tuscany (Italy)
A1 Alba Alonso, Saturnino De
A1 Borselli, Lorenzo
A1 Torri, Dino
A1 Pellegrini, Sergio
A1 Bazzoffi, Paolo
AB This study was designed to characterise the soil translocation effect induced by mouldboard ploughing with an implementtraditionally used in the Tuscany region (Central Italy).We discuss the results of a set of field experiments performed to measuresoil displacement along slopes of varying gradient in different directions and at several depths of tillage. Using the Soil Erosionby Tillage (SETi) model, soil translocation patterns for different tillage scenarios were analysed, with special attention paid tothe effects of the direction and depth of tillage on the extent and spatial pattern of soil movement. The lateral slope gradient SPand tillage depth D were found to be the dominant controlling factors for total soil displacement. The effect of the slope gradientin a direction parallel to tillage ST was much less pronounced. These findings reveal the importance of the asymmetric nature ofthe soil movement produced by mouldboard ploughing and the predominant effect of the lateral displacement dP on the actualtrajectory of soil motion. Results demonstrate that spatial patterns of soil redistribution due to mouldboard ploughing are highlyvariable and depend on the particular characteristics of the implement used. This dependence is so strong that maximumdownslope soil translocation can occur during both, contour tillage or up–down tillage. For this particular mouldboard plough,maximum downslope soil transport took place at a tillage direction ca. 708 and not when tillage was conducted along the steepestslope direction (08). These findings highlight the potential of the combined approach applied. The physically based SETi modelcan be properly calibrated using a relatively limited dataset from field experiments. Once calibrating, the SETi model can then beused to generate synthetic tillage translocation relationships, which can predict the intensity and spatial pattern of soiltranslocation over a much wider range of tillage scenarios than the particular experimental conditions, in terms of topographycomplexity (slope gradients and morphology) and the direction and depth of tillage. These synthetic relationships are usefultools for evaluating strategies designed to reduce tillage erosion.
PB Elsevier Science B.V.
SN 0167-1987
YR 2006
FD 2006
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/51085
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/51085
LA eng
DS Docta Complutense
RD 11 may 2025