Results of a ground water level experimental field with arable crops on clay soil.

Abstract

On a heavy clay soil with large moisture-retaining capacity, aeration and root development are reduced by a shallow water table, and therefore plant nutrients, in particular N, are in short supply. The effect of the depth of the water table on yield is mainly determined by the different effects of N on crops and by the level of N dressings. The depression in yield caused by a shallow water table can be compensated for by increasing the N dressing. When the water table is shallow there is a decrease in the percentage of large pores and permeability. If the groundwater level is kept at 40 cm throughout the year, the structure of the surface layer deteriorates and tillage becomes difficult. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)