Soil aggregate stability is a critical indicator of the physical integrity, durability and quality of soil structure. It is also used as a fundamental criterion in evaluating sustainable soil management practices. Aggregate stability is an important potential early indicator of soil health and quality.
This study aimed to determine the impact of various tillage methods [conventional (M1), reduced-1 (M2), reduced-2 (M3) and direct sowing (M4)] on the distribution of water-stable aggregates, mean weight diameter and soil aggregate stability. The aggregate size distribution, the mean weight diameter and the aggregate stability values were all significantly affected by the measurement periods and the soil tillage methods.
M4 treatment produced the highest proportion of macroaggregates, the greatest mean weight diameter values, and the highest aggregate stability at both depths, while conventional tillage increased the proportion of smaller aggregates. There are fewer fluctuations in aggregate stability values between periods in a direct sowing.
The results indicate that direct sowing and reduced tillage methods are more advantageous than conventional tillage methods in terms of soil structure preservation and the development of sustainable agricultural practices.
