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Volume 16
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Article

A Comparison of the Effects of Site-Specific and Uniform-Depth Tillage on Soil Physical Properties, Fuel Consumption, and CO2 Emissions Under Spatially Variable Field Conditions

by
Simas Sokas
1,
Sidona Buragienė
1,
Marius Kazlauskas
1,
Indrė Bručienė
1,
Vilma Naujokienė
1,
Tomas Mickevičius
2 and
Egidijus Šarauskis
1,*
1
Department of Agricultural Engineering and Safety, Faculty of Engineering, Agriculture Academy, Vytautas Magnus University, Studentu Str. 15A, LT–53362 Kaunas Distr., Lithuania
2
Department of Mechanical, Energy and Biotechnology Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Agriculture Academy, Vytautas Magnus University, Studentų Str. 15, LT–53362 Kaunas Distr., Lithuania
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Agriculture 2026, 16(10), 1089; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16101089
Submission received: 26 April 2026 / Revised: 13 May 2026 / Accepted: 14 May 2026 / Published: 15 May 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Farming Technology in Cereal Production)
Versions Notes

Abstract

This study conducted a comprehensive comparative assessment of the effects of site-specific tillage (SST) and uniform-depth tillage (UDT) on soil physical properties, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The aim was to determine whether using different tillage depths based on variability in soil properties associated with apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) could improve the efficiency of soil management, which would be beneficial for the soil and the environment. Field experiments were conducted using a multifunctional cultivator with three SST depths (10, 14 and 18 cm), which were distributed over variable soil management zones. UDT was applied at a constant depth of 15 cm. The results of the experimental studies showed that SST affected the physical properties of the soil in different management zones with different tillage depths. Reduced tillage depths ensured adequate soil physical properties in areas of lower soil resistance, while deeper tillage was only effective in areas of higher soil resistance. Soil density in the top 0–10 cm soil layer varied within the plant-friendly range of 1.2–1.3 g cm−1 in the region and 1.4–1.5 g cm−1 in the deeper 10–20 cm layer, while total soil porosity responses differed in different management zones. UDT reduced total soil porosity by 3.17% and 3.5% in the top and deeper soil layers, respectively. Changes in total soil porosity due to SST in the 0–10 cm layer depended on tillage depth: it decreased slightly at 10 cm, remained unchanged at 14 cm and increased slightly at 18 cm. In addition, SST reduced fuel consumption and associated CO2 emissions compared with UDT, with environmental impact related to fuel combustion decreasing by approximately 14%. These findings demonstrate that site-specific tillage, when guided by soil variability, can improve the efficiency and environmental sustainability of tillage operations without compromising soil physical properties.
Keywords: precision agriculture; variable-depth tillage; shallow tillage; soil compaction; apparent electrical conductivity (ECa); greenhouse gas emissions precision agriculture; variable-depth tillage; shallow tillage; soil compaction; apparent electrical conductivity (ECa); greenhouse gas emissions

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MDPI and ACS Style

Sokas, S.; Buragienė, S.; Kazlauskas, M.; Bručienė, I.; Naujokienė, V.; Mickevičius, T.; Šarauskis, E. A Comparison of the Effects of Site-Specific and Uniform-Depth Tillage on Soil Physical Properties, Fuel Consumption, and CO2 Emissions Under Spatially Variable Field Conditions. Agriculture 2026, 16, 1089. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16101089

AMA Style

Sokas S, Buragienė S, Kazlauskas M, Bručienė I, Naujokienė V, Mickevičius T, Šarauskis E. A Comparison of the Effects of Site-Specific and Uniform-Depth Tillage on Soil Physical Properties, Fuel Consumption, and CO2 Emissions Under Spatially Variable Field Conditions. Agriculture. 2026; 16(10):1089. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16101089

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sokas, Simas, Sidona Buragienė, Marius Kazlauskas, Indrė Bručienė, Vilma Naujokienė, Tomas Mickevičius, and Egidijus Šarauskis. 2026. "A Comparison of the Effects of Site-Specific and Uniform-Depth Tillage on Soil Physical Properties, Fuel Consumption, and CO2 Emissions Under Spatially Variable Field Conditions" Agriculture 16, no. 10: 1089. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16101089

APA Style

Sokas, S., Buragienė, S., Kazlauskas, M., Bručienė, I., Naujokienė, V., Mickevičius, T., & Šarauskis, E. (2026). A Comparison of the Effects of Site-Specific and Uniform-Depth Tillage on Soil Physical Properties, Fuel Consumption, and CO2 Emissions Under Spatially Variable Field Conditions. Agriculture, 16(10), 1089. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16101089

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