A NEW SOIL COMPACTOR FOR INCREASING WATER HOLDING CAPACITY OF LOAMY SAND SOIL

Because the most soils in Saudi Arabia can not maintain water being sandy soils. This. soil
characteristic leads to the loss of water by gravity. In addition, the high degree of temperature also
can cause high evaporation rate for water after irrigation especially in summer. A thought was
developed toward a method to increase soil bulk density that leads to raise the capability of water
to maintain water. This was achieved by designing and constructing a machine for compacting and
making holes in soil. These holes will act as small water tanks in soil and save water to growing
seeds. This machine consisted of 44 cm diameter cylinder with 245 cm width to make 8 rows of
holes on the ground with 30 cm apart. The cylinder bas 5 groups of metal cones (10 cm diameter
with 10 cm height) welded on the cylinder circumference. Thus, lay out holes on the ground have a
distance of 30 cm apart and 40 cm apart in the other direction. Mainly two field treatments were
camed out, one with holes and one without holes. Variables such as soil moisture content and soil
bulk density of soil were measured at different depths and times. The other variables such soil
penetration resistance and organic matter as well as the clay percent were determined affer the 4"
inigation for both treatments. The results showed that soil moisture content was higher in hole soil
treatment than soil without treatment due to the coUection of clay particles and organic matter by
water droplets during inigation. The collection of clay and organic matter in these holes made the
holes very well sealed and increased the soil storage for water. It is obvious that the developed
machine decreased the soil hydraulic conductivity that leads to an increase in soil water content.