Effect of different long-term management practices on micro-structure of vertisols and alfisols

Soil thin sections were analyzed with petrological microscope at different magnifications and were also analyzed by image analysis (Quantimet 570) to quantify the soil structural changes in black (Vertisols) and red (Alfisols) soils subjected to different management practices. Soil microscopic descriptions brought out the differences between undisturbed, uncultivated plots from cultivated plots with different management practices whereas imaging technique gave a clear picture of pore size distribution, shape and number of pores at different diameter ranges. Continuous cultivation has changed the pore size distribution and deteriorated soil structure. In case of Vertisols broad bed and furrow (BBF) is a better practice than flat bed as more percentage of transmission pores are observed in BBF than flatbed.