The Dynamics of Soil Moisture and Temperature—Strip-Till vs. Plowing—A Case Study

Abstract

The dynamics of soil moisture and its temperature is an important criterion for evaluating soil tillage technology in terms of achieving plant production stability. Understanding changes in soil moisture and temperature depending on rainfall and air temperature is necessary to develop application models for agriculture 4.0. A hypothesis was adopted assuming that the dynamics of soil moisture and its thermal properties will depend on the technology of cultivation. Hence, the aim of the research was to learn the dynamics of soil moisture and temperature during a growing season using strip and conventional tillage. Soil moisture was monitored using TDR probes in the row and inter-row of winter barley using plowing and strip-till techniques. Soil temperature was also monitored. Measurements were made every 5 min. In the most important period for the growth and development of barley vegetation, the soil in the strip-till was characterized by greater moisture (3.6% v/v on average) and greater stability than was the case with plowing. The soil in the strip-till was cooler (an average of 0.64 °C), but more stable than in plowing—temporary temperature differences in ST vs. PT reached even more than 5 °C. Strip-till therefore mitigates weather extremes to a greater extent than plowing.

Keywords

• soil moisture
• strip-till
• TDR
• row
• inter-row