Antecedent rainfall and tillage effects upon infiltration

Large differences in infiltration characteristics were attributed to the development of a surface crust. In the absence of a crust, this soil was highly permeable (>200 mm h^-1) while surface-crusted infiltration rates were as low as 10 mm h^-1. Infiltration characteristics were related to depth of rainfall since tillage, cover, and random roughness. Statistical analysis showed that >77% of variation in infiltration rate, Green and Ampt hydraulic conductivity, and curve number was explained by the depth of rainfall since tillage, surface cover, and random roughness. A procedure is suggested that describes the change in infiltration characteristics as a function of rainfall since tillage for various tillage conditions. -from Authors