Abstract

VACA GARCIA, Víctor Manuel et al. Compaction of a vertisol under three tillage systems in maize (Zea mays L.). Rev. Mex. Cienc. Agríc [online]. 2014, vol.5, n.8, pp.1495-1507. ISSN 2007-0934.

The short-term behaviour of the physical traits of a vertisol under traditional systems and conservation tillage in the production area of maize (Zea mays L.) Valley Toluca-Atlacomulco, has not been reported so far. This research was developed over a three year period (2010 - 2012) in Toluca, State of Mexico, to evaluate the effect of conventional tillage systems (LT), minimum (LM) and zero (LC) on the compaction of a vertisol and yield of maize. In order to determine soil compaction, we measured the variables of bulk density (Da), resistance to penetration by the cone index (CI), and mean velocity of water infiltration (AIR) in each crop cycle. In general, for all cycles and systems, Da increased with depth and showed the highest value in the deepest layer. The highest value of Da (1.64 g cm^-3) was observed in LC at 15-30 cm depth. For the CI, the highest value (3 998 kPa) and the highest average value (3 401 kPa), were also observed in LC. For all crop cycles, the highest mean AIR was recorded in LT (0.088 mL cm^-2 min^-1). The highest yield values in all agricultural cycles were obtained in LM. The analysis of the different variables could not establish, in the short term, clear trends in the increase or remediation of compaction parameters of vertisol under different tillage systems.

Keywords : Zea mays L.; bulk density; cone index; infiltration rate; yield.

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