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Tuesday, November 6, 2007
183-23
Controlled Traffic Compaction Effects on Soil Macroporosity and Corn Yield.
Jonas Zhang1, John Norman1, Orlando Zuniga2, and Aicardo Roa3. (1) Dept of Soil Science, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1525 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706, (2) Universidad del Valle, Santiago, Colombia, (3) Dept of Biological System Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
Compaction-induced soil degradation from large machinery compression is a major concern in any modern agricultural operation. An experiment was set up at Arlington, WI on an undisturbed field, which had not been cultivated for over 15 years. Treatments of compaction, non-compaction and tillage, no-tillage were compared. The compaction plots were compacted with a loaded John Deere 9400 combine with a Spring-Fall cycle for three consecutive years. Besides the compaction equipment, all the necessary traffic including human foot prints were restricted in designated areas. Six rows of corn were planted on each plot. Soil property alternations would be indicated by soil bulk density, penetrometer resistance and macroporosity. Following the 2005 Spring compaction with a partially loaded combine and tillage, soil properties and the corn yield did not have significant changes. Three years subsequent compactions with a loaded combine have increased soil bulk density, penetrometer resistance and reduced macropore percentage down to a depth of twelve inches from the surface. Corn yield were affected by the reduced macropore space.