The effect of rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivation on the soil physical properties

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivation is due to special conditions of land preparation affect on physical characteristics such as soil bulk density, surface aggregates dispersion, infiltration rate and compaction. The study area is located at Lenjan, in Isfahan province, in the center of Iran, soil physical properties of rice cultivation, wheat cultivation (Triticum aestivum L.) and rice-wheat rotation with more than 50 years old were examined and compared. In the upper horizons for paddy soils, wheat - rice and wheat fields the average of soil bulk density (BD) were 1.9, 1.7, 1.5 g/cm³ respectively, and magnitudes of mean weight diameter (MWD) were 0.87, 1.15 and 1.6 and infiltration rate (IR) showed the minimum value in rice fields and the maximum value in wheat fields, 0.48, 0.7 cm/hr respectively. Particle size distribution (PSD) revealed no differences in any fields. This study confirmed that wet tillage for rice creates a poor physical condition in the soil.