Limitations on water infiltration and soil aeration through compaction processes have the potential to limit production in irrigated agricultural fields. This project was conducted to determine the impact of sub-soiling with a paraplow (Howard Rotavator) on soil physical properties and processes that are important in affecting soil-water relations and productivity. The paraplow was the subsoiler selected for use in this study because of its ability to loosen the soil at the depth of plowing while producing minimal surface disturbance. The research plots were located on Chernozem and Vertisol soils in the Brown soil zone in the Lake Diefenbaker irrigation district near Birsay, SK. Irrigated and dryland sites were used for comparison. Sub-soiling was able to consistently reduce bulk density of the soil and effects persisted for one to two years under normal precipitation conditions. Excessively wet conditions (2010 and 2011) reduced the effectiveness of the sub-soiling. Tillage induced porosity in the soil was associated with a greater infiltration capacity measured in the field. Yield benefits in crops grown (canola, flax, wheat) from sub-soiling were variable under the wet conditions of 2010 and 2011. A greater benefit was observed under the normal precipitation conditions of 2012 on sites that were paraplowed in 2011. Subsoiling at a depth of 45cm and a row spacing of 45cm (manufacturer’s recommended configuration) was more effective than shallower depth and wider row spacing treatments. A significant yield benefit was only observed at the dryland site established in 2011, and limited yield benefit was observed in the irrigated sites. Over the three years of the study, annual yields from sub-soiling were on average about 5% higher than the un-tilled control. However, yield benefits were variable depending on crop and year. Given an estimated cost of subsoiling of ~$30 per acre, a benefit of sub-soiling that lasts one year would produce close to break-even conditions, and sub-soiling benefits that are consistent and last longer than one year are needed to be cost effective.

Orientador: Antonio Jose da Silva Maciel / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Agricola / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-06T18:35:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Albiero_Daniel_M.pdf: 5056205 bytes, checksum: 94067cb876fadf926d673b4af8cc5f8c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: Este trabalho foi desenvolvido no campo experimental da Faculdade de Engenharia Agrícola da UNICAMP e teve como objetivo avaliar o novo sistema de preparo de solo Conservacionista em Faixas com "Paraplow" Rotativo, dando ênfase para a aplicação em sistemas de plantio voltados para agricultura familiar. A avaliação foi dividida em três grupos: caracterização da ferramenta como conservacionista; caracterização geométrica da faixa bem preparada; e determinação da configuração operacional ótima para a agricultura familiar. Foi utilizada a técnica de análise dimensional que através do planejamento experimental à ela atrelado define o elenco dos principais parâmetros a serem medidos e importantes para as respectivas determinações, caracterizações e comprovações. Com estes parâmetros definidos, em um total de vinte e dois parâmetros foram realizados o experimento em campo em um delineamento experimental totalmente aleatório, onde foi realizado o experimento com oito tratamentos, onde cada tratamento disposto em uma linha experimental com cinco pontos de coletas de dados antes, e cinco pontos de coleta de dados após a passagem da ferramenta. Para este arranjamento foram feitas duas repetições para cada parâmetro totalizando dezesseis linhas experimentais, perfazendo um total de dez pontos avaliados para cada tratamento. Com os dados coletados foi possível realizar as análises através da: estatística descritiva básica, análise dimensional e análise de variância. Os resultados obtidos demonstram claramente que o "Paraplow" Rotativo é uma ferramenta de preparo de solo conservacionista. As avaliações operacionais indicam que esta ferramenta acoplada a um motocultor de 12 cv é adequada a utilização pela agricultura familiar, tendo capacidades de campo compatíveis com as necessidades das pequenas propriedades. Comparações entre as metodologias da Análise Dimensional e a Análise de Variância de uma via simples, demonstram a superioridade da Análise Dimensional em estudos de dinâmica do solo e avaliações de máquinas de preparo de solo / Abstract: This work was developed in the experimental field of Agricultural Engineering CoI: of State University of Campinas, and it had as objective to evaluate the new system of tillage in strip conservationist with Rotary "Paraplow", it was given emphasis for application in seeding systems appropriate for small fanns. The evaluation was divide( three groups: characterization of tool as conservationist; geometric characterization of st determination of operation configuration for small fanns. It was used the dimensional analysis method for to define the experimental plannin, having been determined which parameters should be measured. These parameters, in a tota twenty two, they were arrangement in a experimental design completely random, where t were realized the experiment with eight treatments, each treatment was allocated in experimental strip, with five points of obtaining data, before and after the action of the tI for these arrangement were made two repetitions for each parameter, totalizing sixt experimental strips, with ten point of obtaining data for each treatment. With these data it ' possible to realize the analysis through: descriptive statistical; dimensional analysis; . variance analysis. The results demonstrate that the Rotary "Paraplow" is a tool of soil till conservationist. The evaluations show that this tool coupled with tiller with 12 cv appropriated for small fanns, it have been compatible field capacity with the needs of sn fanns. Comparisons between the methodologies of dimensional analysis and the varia: analysis of one way, showed the superiority of the dimensional analysis in studies of ~ dynamics and evaluations of soil tillage machines / Mestrado / Maquinas Agricolas / Mestre em Engenharia Agrícola