RT Journal Article
T1 Comparing effects of tillage treatments performed with animal traction on soil physical properties and soil electrical resistivity: preliminary experimental results
A1 García Tomillo, Aitor
A1 Figueiredo, Tomás de
A1 Almeida, Arlindo
A1 Rodrigues, João
A1 Dafonte Dafonte, Jorge
A1 Paz González, Antonio
A1 Nunes, João
A1 Hernández, Zulimar
K1 Animal traction
K1 Soil compaction
K1 Saturated hydraulic conductivity
K1 Electrical Resistivity Tomography
AB Soil Compaction results from compressiveforces applied to compressible soil by machinery wheels,combined with tillage operations. Draft animal‐pulledequipment may also cause soil compaction, but a hugegap exists on experimental data to adequately assess theirimpacts and, actually, animal traction is an option seenwith increasing potential to contribute to sustainableagriculture, especially in mountain areas. This study wasconducted to assess the impacts on soil compaction oftillage operations with motor tractor and draft animals.In a farm plot (Vale de Frades, NE Portugal) treatmentswere applied in sub‐plots (30 m x 3 m), consisting in a twoway tillage with tractor (T), a pair of cows (C) and a pair ofdonkeys (D). Undisturbed soil samples (120) were takenbefore and after operations for bulk density (BD) andsaturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks). The relative changes in BD observed after tillage in the 0-0.05 m soil depthincreased after operations in all treatments. The increasewas higher in the tractor sub-plot (15%) than in those whereanimal traction was used (8%). Before operation Ks classwas rapid and fast in all samples, and after operation thisvalue was reduced to 33% in T, whereas it reached 83% inC. Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) was useful as atool to identify the alterations caused by tillage operationson soil physical status. These preliminary results confirmthe potential of animal traction as an option for mountainagri‐environments, yet it requires much wider research tosoundly ground its assets.
PB De Gruyter
SN 2391-9531
YR 2017
FD 2017
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10347/22534
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10347/22534
LA eng
NO García-Tomillo, A., de Figueiredo, T., Almeida, A., Rodrigues, J., Dafonte, J. D., Paz-González, A., ... & Hernandez, Z. (2017). Comparing effects of tillage treatments performed with animal traction on soil physical properties and soil electrical resistivity: preliminary experimental results. Open Agriculture, 2(1), 317-328.
DS Minerva
RD 1 may 2026