Modeling the effects of complex topography and patterns of tillage on soil translocation by tillage with mouldboard plough

ABSTRACT:

The design and results of a tillage field experiment conducted in Central Spain in 1995/96 are presented. Soil translocation models of the type d = f(ST;SP), in which the absolute, forward and lateral translocation are calculated as functions of the slope gradients simultaneously in both directions parallel (ST) and perpendicular to the direction of tillage (SP), were developed. It was determined that: a) forward translocation d_DT simultaneously is inversely correlated with the slope ST and directly correlated with the slope SP; b) lateral translocation d_DP is inversely correlated with the slope SP; and c) the distance in the actual direction of soil movement d, only is inversely cowelated with the slope ST. From simulation results it was concluded that the effects of complex topography and of the interactions between topography and patterns of tillage on soil translocation, are much more important than predicted using one-dimensional or diffusion type models of soil translocation.