Quantitative Characteristics of the Microstructure of Typical Chernozems Using Different Agricultural Technologies

Abstract

The methodological possibilities of micromorphological soil research making it possible to analyze digital images of soil thin sections at a quantitative level are presented in this study. A new software Thixomet Pro has been tested for quantitative micromorphological study of sail on the example of soil thin sections from the surface horizons of Haplic Chernozem. Soil samples for preparing thin sections were collected on the territory of scientific and industrial field test plot for assessing the impact of agro technologies in grain crop rotation on soil properties (Kursk region, Russia). In the field test plot, conventional agro technology (real tillage) and no-till are compared. Soil sampling was carried out in two replications from depth of 10–15 cm. The analysis revealed the variability of microstructure of Haplic Chernozem in the size, shape and orientation of aggregates associated with the use of agricultural technologies with and without plowing in grain crop rotation. In the Сhernozem with no–till, aggregates are generally larger compared to the aggregates of Сhernozem with conventional agro technology. This is noted at all levels of comparison of direct seeding and conventional agricultural technology: in the minimum diameter, the fraction 1–2 mm prevails against 0.25–0.5 mm, respectively, in the average diameter, fractions 1–2, 2–3 and 3–5 mm prevail against 0.5–1 and 0.25–0.5 mm, respectively, in the maximum diameter, fractions 1–2, 2–3 and 3–5 mm prevail against 0.5–1, 0.25–0.5 and 1–2 mm, respectively. It is also shown that less rounded and isometric aggregates are formed during direct seeding. With direct seeding, the proportion of aggregates with a form factor of 0.2–0.4 is higher and the proportion of aggregates with a form factor of 0.4–0.6 is lower than with traditional technology. The proportion of subhorizontal aggregates in direct seeding is higher compared to traditional processing (54.3 and 34.1% respectively).