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RESEARCH PAPER
Tillage and cover crop effects on the hydro-physical properties of a hapludalf
1
Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, North Carolina State University, 101 Derieux Place, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
2
School of Agriculture, Middle Tennessee State University, 1301 E Main Street, Murfreesboro, TN 37132, USA
Final revision date: 2026-06-08
Acceptance date: 2026-06-17
Publication date: 2026-08-13
Corresponding author
Int. Agrophys. 2026, 40(4): 405-421
HIGHLIGHTS
- NT with CC significantly lowered bulk density and increased SOC and Ksat
- NT with CCs improved total porosity and water filled pore spaces
- Tillage with NC improved air filled pore spaces
- Over 2 years, soil properties responded differently to management practices
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Tillage and cover crop (CC) management represent two of the most widely implemented anthropogenic practices that influence soil water movement and storage. This study assessed the effects of no-till with cover crop (NT-CC), no-till with no cover crop (NT-NC), tillage with cover crop (Till-CC), and tillage with no cover crop (Till-NC) management practices on select soil properties. The CCs included winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum). During the first year, Till-NC management had greater bulk density values than other management practices. Further, NT-CC significantly improved soil organic carbon, the proportions of macropores
(> 1 000 µm effective diameter) and coarse mesopores (60-1 000 µm effective diameter), and this led to increases in saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat), and volumetric water content at 0, -33, and -100 kPa soil water pressures than other management practices during the second year. Over both years, the Ksat was similar under NT-CC and reduced by 24% under Till-CC management, suggesting that tillage can reduce water flow under saturated conditions over time due to increased pore tortuosity, regardless of any effects of CC. In general, the study demonstrated that NT-CC improved measured soil hydro-physical properties and may be a more sustainable land management practice.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to thank Mr. Matthew Wade and Mr. Bryan Berry for help maintaining the plots. Appreciation is also extended to Robert Eichas, Zoey Ward, Avie Wunner, and Wyatt Patterson for help rendered during soil sampling and sample analysis.
FUNDING
This study was supported by the Southern Region Sustainable Agricultural Research and Education (Grant No. LS24-391).
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interest or personal relationship that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this study.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Authors contributions: O.M.P. interpreted the results and wrote the original draft of the manuscript, S.I.H. designed the study, acquired funding, and critically revised the manuscript. All authors gave final approval of the manuscript.
Data availability. The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Data availability. The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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