Preferential flow is influenced by cover crops inclusion depending on soil texture

Climate change and agricultural simplification have contributed to the degradation of soil physical quality, reducing its capacity to store and transport water. The use of cover crops (CC) may counteract these negative effects by modifying macropore structure and connectivity, thereby influencing preferential flow (PF). PF is a phenomenon in which water and solutes move along specific pathways while bypassing portions of the porous matrix. This study aimed to evaluate how cover crops affect PF in two different textured soils of the Pampas Region using dye tracing. In Chascomús (loam soil), the trial compared bare fallow (BF) and CC (Vicia sp. L. and Hordeum vulgare) with Maize as the main crop. In site Rivadavia (sandy loam soil), the trial compared BF and CC (Rye, Secale cereale) with Soybean as the main crop. Results indicated that CC inclusion had no significant effect on PF in the sandy loam soil. However, in the loam soil, PF increased due to root activity, though this effect was not persistent over time. Both sites exhibited an increase in macropore connectivity. The inclusion of CC modifies the PF phenomenon, particularly in fine textured soils.