Transforming Soil: Climate-Smart Amendments Boost Soil Physical and Hydrological Properties

A field study was conducted to investigate the effects of selected climate-smart agriculture practices on soil bulk density (ρ), porosity (β), hydraulic conductivity (Ksat), and nutrient dynamics in southeast Texas. Treatment combinations of two types of organic manure (chicken and dairy) with three rates (0, 224, and 448 kg N ha−1) and two levels of biochar (2500 and 5000 kg ha−1) were used in a factorial randomized block design. Bulk density and porosity measurements were conducted on undisturbed soil core samples collected from the topsoil (0–10 cm) of a field cultivated with sweet corn. Ksat was calculated from the steady-state infiltration measured using the Tension Infiltrometer (TI). The ANOVA results indicated that the manure application rates, and biochar levels significantly affected the soil properties. Compared to the control, β increased by 15% and 29% for the recommended and double recommended manure rates. Similarly, hydraulic conductivity increased by 25% in the double-recommended rate plots compared to the control. Also, we applied the concept of non-parametric elasticity to understand the sensitivity of soil physical and chemical properties to Ksat. ρ and β are critical physical properties that are highly sensitive to Ksat. Among soil nutrients, Boron showed the highest sensitivity to Ksat. Hydraulic conductivity can be enhanced by employing selected climate-smart practices and improving water management. Future directions for this study focus on scaling these findings to diverse cropping systems and soil types while integrating long-term assessments to evaluate the cumulative effects of climate-smart practices on soil health, crop productivity, and ecosystem sustainability.