Six undisturbed soil cores (50 mm high, 50.46 mm in diameter)
per plot were taken from the surface (0–50 mm) to measure the
tensile strength. The samples were taken within two days after the
beginning of drainage to avoid sampling in water and forming
visiblefissures after longer-time drying. Therefore, the three soil
samples represented the soil structure after consolidation since
puddling (without drying effect), after one drying and rewetting
cycle and after two drying and rewetting cycles. The sampling time
after the third drainage was one week before harvesting. Three soil
cores were used to measure soil bulk density after drying in oven at
105
C for 24 h and another three were used to measure tensile
strength using a crushing test (Dexter, 1988). Total porosity was
calculated from soil bulk density and soil particle density
(estimated as 2.65 Mg m
3
)