INFILTRATION UNDER NO-TILL AND CONVENTIONAL TILLAGE SYSTEMS IN SASKATCHEWAN

The effects of no-till and conventional tillage systems on water infil tration and related soil parameters were investigated in five fields u nder dryland farming in southern Saskatchewan. A rainfall simulator wa s used for the infiltration measurements. Three fields were under a no -till system for different lengths of time ranging from 5 years to 13 years. A heavy duty cultivator was used in both fields under conventio nal tillage; one field was under continuous cropping, and the other un der a traditional wheat-fallow rotation. Fields under the no-till syst em had higher organic matter contents, higher macroporosities, and hig her saturated hydraulic conductivities than the fields with the conven tional tillage. Organic matter in the no-till and conventional continu ously cropped fields increased approximately 0.2% for every year since the last conventional fallow-crop rotation. The field in conventional fallow had the lowest infiltration rates, while the conventional cont inuously cropped field had the highest infiltration rates, although no t significantly different than those from the 13 year old no-till fiel d. Cumulative infiltration at 60 minutes was most highly correlated wi th organic matter content; for every 1 percentage point increase in or ganic matter, cumulative infiltration increased by 9 mm.