Soil conservation is particularly important in hilly agricultural areas, where management techniques and mechanization can affect the physical and hydrological characteristics of the soil, resulting in an high risk of erosion (Tropeano, 1983). Soil moisture content and temperature are key-factors in determining the surface runoff response to a given precipitation events (Fitzjohn et al., 1998; Ramos & Martínez-Casasnovas, 2007), and rapid measurements by means of sensor-readings allow a more detailed evaluation of space-time hydrological processes. The experimental site is located in the "Alto Monferrato" vine-growing region of Piedmont (N-W Italy), at 290 m asl. The climate is temperate, with a mean annual temperature of 13°C and an average annual precipitation of 850 mm, mainly concentrated in spring and autumn. The hillside vineyard is composed of three 1221 m2 plots accommodated along the slope, with different inter-row soil cultivation techniques: conventional tillage (P1), reduced tillage (P2) and controlled grass cover (P3). The rainfall and runoff amounts were recorded during the period August 2011-November 2011. To allow continuous monitoring of soil moisture and temperature parameters, electromagnetic sensors were installed at 9 cm depth in two locations on each plot, both in the central part of the inter-row and in the lateral portion of the wheels, where the traffic of agricultural machinery is repeated on fixed routes. The total rainfall data recorded during the study period in the experimental area was 434 mm, of which one major event in early November produced 350 mm. In October, all three plots were tilled, with sub-soiler at 25 cm depth (P1) and sub-soiler followed by roto-tiller at 15 cm depth (P2). Controlled grass plot (P3) was tilled as in P2 to renew the cover. During the summer rainfall event, soil water content in the P3 was higher than the other two plots, with lower values in P1, that reflects the protective role played by cover crop in storing water and reducing runoff. On plots, values were higher in the upper position than downslope. After the tilling operations, the event of greater magnitude happened: soil moisture follows similar trends in all plots, for the short period between tilling and precipitations. Soil water content was highest at the beginning of the rainfall event in the P1, where evident rills developed along the tracks of the sub-soiler's tools. These soil conditions may have allowed less water infiltration during the following rainfalls, thus favouring runoff, that resulted greater than in the other two plots. The different soil management techniques do not affect significantly the soil temperature.

Soil moisture content and temperature affected by different management techniques in sloping vineyard and implications on runoff

Opsi F;Biddoccu M;Cavallo E
2012

Abstract

Soil conservation is particularly important in hilly agricultural areas, where management techniques and mechanization can affect the physical and hydrological characteristics of the soil, resulting in an high risk of erosion (Tropeano, 1983). Soil moisture content and temperature are key-factors in determining the surface runoff response to a given precipitation events (Fitzjohn et al., 1998; Ramos & Martínez-Casasnovas, 2007), and rapid measurements by means of sensor-readings allow a more detailed evaluation of space-time hydrological processes. The experimental site is located in the "Alto Monferrato" vine-growing region of Piedmont (N-W Italy), at 290 m asl. The climate is temperate, with a mean annual temperature of 13°C and an average annual precipitation of 850 mm, mainly concentrated in spring and autumn. The hillside vineyard is composed of three 1221 m2 plots accommodated along the slope, with different inter-row soil cultivation techniques: conventional tillage (P1), reduced tillage (P2) and controlled grass cover (P3). The rainfall and runoff amounts were recorded during the period August 2011-November 2011. To allow continuous monitoring of soil moisture and temperature parameters, electromagnetic sensors were installed at 9 cm depth in two locations on each plot, both in the central part of the inter-row and in the lateral portion of the wheels, where the traffic of agricultural machinery is repeated on fixed routes. The total rainfall data recorded during the study period in the experimental area was 434 mm, of which one major event in early November produced 350 mm. In October, all three plots were tilled, with sub-soiler at 25 cm depth (P1) and sub-soiler followed by roto-tiller at 15 cm depth (P2). Controlled grass plot (P3) was tilled as in P2 to renew the cover. During the summer rainfall event, soil water content in the P3 was higher than the other two plots, with lower values in P1, that reflects the protective role played by cover crop in storing water and reducing runoff. On plots, values were higher in the upper position than downslope. After the tilling operations, the event of greater magnitude happened: soil moisture follows similar trends in all plots, for the short period between tilling and precipitations. Soil water content was highest at the beginning of the rainfall event in the P1, where evident rills developed along the tracks of the sub-soiler's tools. These soil conditions may have allowed less water infiltration during the following rainfalls, thus favouring runoff, that resulted greater than in the other two plots. The different soil management techniques do not affect significantly the soil temperature.
2012
Istituto per le Macchine Agricole e Movimento Terra - IMAMOTER - Sede Ferrara
978-84-615-9928-8
soil-volumetric-water-content
soil-temperature
electromagnetic-sensors
vineyard
management-techniques
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14243/222406
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