Identifying Types of Soil Compaction

Ross McKenzie, Grainews May 9, 2016

Soil compaction can occur at the soil surface in the form of soil crusting, or it can occur in the subsoil. Soil compaction is sometimes blamed for reduced crop productivity, but it is important to correctly diagnose the cause or causes of reduced crop production. Poor plant growth can be caused by a number of factors, including soil compaction.
The first step is to correctly diagnosis if a soil compaction problem exists, and then develop short- and long-term management practices to prevent further damage.
Soil compaction can occur at different times of the year through different mechanisms. Careful observations can help diagnose the problem. If the answer to these questions is “yes,” you may have a soil compaction problem.
-Is there poor crop growth in all years, with all crop types in the same area of the field?
-Is there a spatial pattern to the crop growth (associated with wheel tracks, windrows, equipment widths, haul trails)?
-Does the soil surface appear smooth and crusted?
-Has there been a change in equipment size, weight or operations?
-Are there soil types in the field with naturally dense horizons such as eroded knolls?
-If you scrape away the surface soil with a shovel or trowel, can you see dense layers and/or horizontal root growth?