Cover crops reduce soil resistance to penetration by preserving soil surface water content

Abstract Replacement of bare fallow in rotations by cover crops is a promising tool to reduce crusting, although the interactions with soil moisture and effect crop species are still not well understood. The objective this work was determine how modify surface response penetration their relation water content. Two winter crops, barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) vetch (Vicia sp. L.), were compared treatment 10-year field experiment central Spain. Soil resistance content intensively measured (76 sampling dates) at two depths, using types penetrometers. Under crop, number very dry events reduced around 20%, fallow. closely related (R2 = 0.65) affected it through modification. In line, greater mulch provided respect vetch, increased prior main seeding, resulting less during critical period. good performance resulted reduction more than 60% between 3rd 8th year (7.2–2.9 kg cm?2, respectively). Even under fallow, strength decreased after ten years tillage. Therefore, maintenance residues over together tillage enhanced conditions steadily risk crust formation. Expected enhancement main-crop germination, infiltration, aeration erosion mitigation may be attained cover-cropping degraded soils.