Puddling and Compaction Effects on Water Permeability of Texturally Different Soils

Abstract

Effects of different puddling depths (0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 cm) and compaction levels on water fluxthrough five texturally different soils (loamy sand, silt loam-I, silt loam-II, loam and clay loam) were studied in 8 cm dia 35 cm long PVC columns. The water flux (q) through nonpuddled (control) soil columns depended largely on the mean weight diameter and bulk density of soil (R2 = 0.715). Puddling decreased ‘q’ as a power function of pudding depth (R2 = 0.908–0.986), while compaction decreased (q) as an exponential function of soil bulk density (K = 0.940–0.991). Effects of puddling and compaction on q were markedly influenced by the clay content of soil. About 95% reduction in q due to per unit increase in puddling depth, and 86% reduction in q due to per unit increase in bulk density, were explained by the linear functions of clay content. At a given puddling depth, the relative waterflux (q-puddled q-nonpuddled) decreased exponentially with the increase in clay content (K = 0.841–0.945); the effects becoming more pronounced at greater pudding depths. Ease of compaction increased while depth of compaction at a given, compactive energy decreased with the fineness of soil texture.