Table 4. The impact of different mulch types and winter crops on soil bulk and particle densities, soil porosity and soil penetration resistance.
| Mulch type | 2016–17 | 2017–18 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheat | Egyptian clover | Canola | Wheat | Egyptian clover | Canola | |
| Soil bulk density (g cm-3) | ||||||
| CIM-616* | 1.460 ab | 1.447 cd | 1.450 bcd | 1.480 a | 1.460 cd | 1.460 cd |
| GH-Mubarik* | 1.460 ab | 1.443 d | 1.450 bcd | 1.480 a | 1.460 cd | 1.460 cd |
| CIM-620** | 1.467 a | 1.447 cd | 1.457 abc | 1.467 bc | 1.457 cd | 1.453 d |
| N-414** | 1.453 bcd | 1.450 bcd | 1.450 bcd | 1.477 ab | 1.453 d | 1.450 d |
| LSD (p ≤ 0.05) | 0.010 | 0.010 | ||||
| Soil particle density (g cm-3) | ||||||
| CIM-616* | 2.59 | 2.50 | 2.58 | 2.71 | 2.61 | 2.68 |
| GH-Mubarik* | 2.66 | 2.53 | 2.65 | 2.75 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| CIM-620** | 2.61 | 2.64 | 2.60 | 2.67 | 2.63 | 2.65 |
| N-414** | 2.63 | 2.58 | 2.69 | 2.66 | 2.59 | 2.63 |
| LSD (p ≤ 0.05) | NS | NS | ||||
| Soil porosity (%) | ||||||
| CIM-616* | 43.81bcd | 42.26 d | 43.70 bcd | 45.66 ab | 44.14 bc | 45.56 abc |
| GH-Mubarik* | 45.26 ab | 43.14 cd | 45.29 ab | 46.26 a | 44.19 bc | 44.86 abc |
| CIM-620** | 43.96 bc | 45.20 ab | 44.12 bc | 45.24 abc | 44.62 bc | 45.29 abc |
| N-414** | 44.96 ab | 43.88 bcd | 46.22 a | 44.59 bc | 43.98 c | 44.95 abc |
| LSD (p ≤ 0.05) | 1.69 | 1.6 | ||||
| Soil penetration resistance (MPa) | ||||||
| CIM-616* | 1.733 cd | 1.717 f | 1.747 a | 1.710 bc | 1.703 bcd | 1.717 ab |
| GH-Mubarik* | 1.747 a | 1.727 de | 1.747 a | 1.713 ab | 1.697 cde | 1.717 ab |
| CIM-620** | 1.743 ab | 1.723 ef | 1.737 bc | 1.717 ab | 1.690 de | 1.703 bcd |
| N-414** | 1.737 bc | 1.733 cd | 1.743 ab | 1.727 a | 1.683 e | 1.703 bcd |
| LSD (p ≤ 0.05) | 0.0097 | 0.01 | ||||
* = Bt cultivars
** = non-Bt cultivars, Means followed by varying letters for an experimental year differ at significantly (p ≤0.05) from each other, NS = Non-significant