THE EFFECT OF LOCALLY MODIFIED PLOW ON SOME SOIL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES COMPARED IT WITH OTHER PLOWS

Abstract

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of the locally modified plow on some soil physical properties and comparing it with other plows at the fields of the College of Agriculture / University of Baghdad (20 km west Baghdad) in 2010 in silt clay loam soil. Three levels of plow type were used in the experiment included the locally modified sweep plow, chisel plow and moldboard plow which represented the sub– sub plots and three Levels of depth included 5-10, 10-15 and 15-20 cm which represented the sub plots and two levels of speed included 2.55 and 4.32 km/h, which represented the main plots. Massy Ferguson MF-650 tractor was used in the experiment. The following indicators were studied: bulk density، total porosity and the percentage of soil clod with a diameter greater than 10 cm.The experiment was designed and carried out according to a split-split plot design under randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. To compare the means of treatments the least significant differences (L.S.D) was used at 0.05 levels.The results were as following:1-Modified sweep plow showed a significant superiority in getting higher values of percentage of total porosity of soil and lower values percentage of soil clods (< 10 cm ø) and less bulk density. 2– Increasing tillage depth from 5-10 to 10-15 and to 15-20 cm caused a significant increase in values percentage of soil clods (<10 cm ø, bulk density, and a significant decrease in total porosity of soil.3-Increasing of speed from 2.55 to 4.32 km/h resulted in a significant increase bulk density and getting less percentage of soil clods (<10 cm ø), less total porosity of soil for all plows and depths.4-Di – Interaction: -The interaction between sweep plow and the speed of 2.55 km/h was superior in getting lower values of bulk density (1.349 Mg/m3) and higher values of total porosity of soil (49.06%).-The interaction between sweep plow and the speed of 4.32 km/h was superior in getting lower values of percentage of soil clods (< 10 cm ø) (13.00%). -The sweep plow in comparison with other plows was superior in getting higher of total porosity of soil (48.42%) and getting less values of bulk density (1.366 Mg/m3) and lower percentage of soil clods (< 10 cm ø) (14.81.%).5-Tri – Interaction-The interaction between the sweep plow ،speed of 4.32 km/h and the depth 5-10cm was superior in getting lower percentage of soil clods (<10 cm ø) (3.39%). -The interaction between sweep plow ،speed of 2.55 km/h and the depth 5-10 cm was superior in getting less values of bulk density (1.286 Mg/m3), and higher values of total porosity of soil (51.47%).