Question

what are the methods of wind erosion

Answer 1

Suspension, saltation, and surface creep are the three types of soilmovement which occur during wind erosion.

Answer 2

Measure # 1. Control on Dry Land Cultivated Soils:
Practices such as stubble mulching and minimum tillage, herbicides, cover crops, strip cropping, crop rotation, wind barriers and shelterbelts, mulches, emergency tillage, etc. have been successfully used to control wind erosion on dry land cultivated soils.
A Brief discussion of each is given below:
a. Stubble Mulching and Minimum Tillage:
Stubble mulching is one of the effective ways to control wind erosion and conserve soil moisture. This practice is most appropriate with wheat and other small grains, and sorghum. The stubble mulch is particularly needed on sandy soils where a rough surface cannot be maintained. Tillage practices which result in a rough cloddy surface, preferably with trash cover or stubble mulch help to check wind erosion.
Rough tillage traps the saltating particles, decreases wind velocity at the soil surface, prevents soil particles from breaking up into small particles which will drift, and increases percolation rate and decreases runoff.
The quantity of crop residue required to control wind erosion can be estimated from the analysis of the major factors that affect soil blowing. For example, the more susceptible the soil is to movement by wind, the more residue is required to prevent it from blowing.
Large fields require more residue than narrow fields or fields protected by wind breaks and shelter belts. Vegetables and other crops that are damaged by abrasion require more residue than do field crops. Arid areas need more residue than humid areas, the regions of high winds require more cover than those of low winds.
Table 6.1 shows the amounts of vegetative cover required to hold wind erosion to 12.5 tonnes per ha on field with different soil textures in an average semi-arid region where the climatic factor C’ is about 100 during the windy season. These amounts also vary with weather conditions throughout the growing season, disease, insects, etc.