Study on the Tillage Systems on Physical Soil Properties under Sugarcane Cultivation

Abstract

Land preparations on the changes of soil physical property trial of Satuk soil series was studied at Japan International Research Centre for Agriculture
Science Khon Kaen province, in the late wet season 2001/2002. Sugarcane variety U- thong 1 was chosen as a plant index. The trial was arranged in split plot design with three replications. The treatments comprised land preparations as a main plot (tillage, minimum tillage and no- tillage) and chemical fertilizer supply as a subplot (0-0-0; 12-6-12 and 24-12-24 Kg N-P O/rai). The results indicated that land preparations with no-tillage and minimum tillage for sugarcane plantations improved physical soil properties by increasing soil moisture content, soil hydraulic conductivity and soil porosity. Consequently, the soil bulk density was reduced. However, the yield of sugarcane grown under no- tillage (9.07 ton/rai) and minimum tillage plot (10.46 ton/ rai) was not significantly different. Both values were lower than those grown under tillage plot (11.30 ton / rai). For the sugarcane quality (BRIX and CCS), the percentage of BRIX and CCS increased with chemical fertilizer application increases, with the exception of the highest rate of 24-12-24 kg N-P- K O/rai supply where percent CCS was reduced.