The Impact of Different Soil Tillage Systems on the Physical Characteristics
of Soils in the Context of Current Climate Change

Amelia Victoria Anghel, Lavinia Burtan, Monica Dumitrașcu, Irina Calciu

National Research and Development Institute for Soil Science,
Agrochemistry and Environment - ICPA Bucharest

Keywords: bulk density, total porosity, water permeability, penetration resistance, climate change.

Abstract: The purpose of this work was to experiment with different technologies of soil tillage in areas subject to aridity phenomena in Tulcea (Nalbant) and Constanţa (Cogealac and Râmnicu de Jos) counties. The comparative analysis of the two technologies applied in the experimental fields was carried out, with sampling in spring 2024 and 2025, in order to observe how the conservative technologies influence the physical characteristics of the soils within the studied administrative territorial units. Soil samples were collected at depths of 5-10, 25-30 and 45-50 cm, and their physical properties were determined in the laboratory according to standardized methodology.
In the classical tillage field (2024) at U.A.T. Cogealac, the bulk density values were higher, at the second depth 25-30 cm, (1.31 g/cm³), indicating a more pronounced compaction (specific to intensive mechanical works), compared to the minimum soil tillage technology, where the soil has a higher density. In contrast, the minimum tillage (no-till) technology produced a soil with lower density, which may limit both water infiltration and root growth under water stress conditions. In the field with conservative works, at U.A.T. Nalbant, at the spring 2024 sampling, the results indicate that the soil is loose, however by spring 2025 sharp compaction was observed. In the classical version, the situation is more balanced, but compaction occurs at a depth of 25-30 cm. High water permeability values indicate rapid infiltration, favorable for avoiding puddles, but can lead to loss of water and nutrients by leaching.
Total PTwi porosity (% v/v), in the two experimental fields ranged from 43.7 (% v/v) to 58.9 (% v/v), indicating medium to very high values. We can say that there are no significant differences between the two soil tillage technologies.
At the territorial administrative unit Râmnicu de Jos, the application of the two technologies of soil tillage (classic/no-till), the soil presents a favorable structure for the growth and development of plant roots. The penetration resistance RP (Kgf/cm²), in no-till, shows us that in the spring of 2025, the soil presents a large surface compaction (partial limitation of root development), while classical tillage showed more balanced resistance values.
The rate of water infiltration in no-till increases with depth. In classical technology and then the situation changes: if at the first sampling (2024) there are good values of permeability for water, at the second sampling (2025), the values decrease almost by half (but still with a good permeability for water).
Regarding total PTwi porosity (% v/v), all values for both technologies applied, were good (>48%), indicating a generally good capacity of the soil to retain water. In the technology with no-till tillage, the total porosity values have a decreasing tendency on the first two depths, compared to the technology with classical works where the trend is similar to the conservative one but with higher values (the soil is loose).