Studies on formation, consequences, / properties, and management of soil surface crusting

Abstract

The information of soil surface. crusting and/or sealing is a wide spread problem in all systems of farming. Soils are susceptible, in various degrees and extent to crusting and/or sealing formation and its consequences which depends on a combination of soil physical, chemical and biological processes, which are highly affected by climatic, environmental and soil conditions that prevailing during the crust and/or seal formation. Influences of some soil management practices such as organic matter applications (0.0, 15.0, 30.0 and 45.0 m3/feddan) and cultivation (by hoeing; 0.0, one and two hoeings) on combating and controlling of the formed soil surface crusting and/or sealing have been investigated in a field experimentation in a loamy sand soil at Ebshaway District, El-Fayoum, Egypt along two successive seasons (1998 and 1999). The formed thin soil surface crust and/or seal layer was identified in the chosen soil as a calcareous layer due to effects of soil formation and agro-management techniques of the soil. The formed soil surface crusts and/or seals may be also attributed to effects of unproper irrigation applications and/or over-saturation of the upper few centimeters ofthe . soil. The used soil management practices resulted in significant reduction, in both bulk density and the penetration resistance of the tested soil.