Determination of Soil Water Content After Fallow, Winter and Spring Sown Lentil in Dry Farming Areas

Authors: M. SAİT ADAK

Abstract: This research was carried out from 1993 through 1995 for a two-year period in dry farming areas of Haymana/Ankara. The aim of the research was to determine the available water content of the 0-60 and 0-90 cm soil depth layers for wheat after fallow periods and after winter and spring crops of lentils under two different soil tillage treatments. According to the experimental results, the highest available water content was measured in fallow plots (28.6% (rototiller 0-60 cm) and 94.6% plough 0-90 cm). The available water contents were found to be -14.9% (plough 0-60 cm) and 14.8% (rototiller 0-90 cm) in winter sown lentil plots and -47.9 % (plough 0-60 cm) and -4.6% (rototiller 0-90 cm) in spring sown plots during harvest time. In the first year after wheat harvest, rototilled plots were superior to ploughed plots in terms of available water; in the second year, plough treatment in fallow plots and rototiller in lentil plots provided more available water in the soil. According to the results, it may be concluded that winter lentils are more suitable than spring lentils in terms of available water content for following wheat under such dry farming areas for fallow replacement.

Keywords: Available soil water content, fallow, winter and spring lentil, dry farming

Full Text: PDF