Seasonal dynamics in wheel load‐carrying capacity of a loam soil in the Swiss Plateau

Abstract

Subsoil compaction is a major problem in modern agriculture caused by the intensification of agricultural production and the increase in weight of agricultural machinery. Compaction in the subsoil is highly persistent and leads to deterioration of soil functions. Wheel load‐carrying capacity (WLCC) is defined as the maximum wheel load for a specific tyre and inflation pressure that does not result in soil stress in excess of soil strength. The soil strength and hence WLCC is strongly influenced by soil matric potential (h). The aim of this study was to estimate the seasonal dynamics in WLCC based on in situ measurements of h, measurements of precompression stress at various h and simulations of soil stress. In this work, we concentrated on prevention of subsoil compaction. Calculations were made for different tyres (standard and low‐pressure top tyres) and for soil under different tillage and cropping systems (mouldboard ploughing, direct drilling, permanent grassland), and the computed WLCC was compared with real wheel loads to obtain the number of trafficable days (NTD) for various agricultural machines. Wheel load‐carrying capacity was higher for the top than the standard tyres, demonstrating the potential of tyre equipment in reducing compaction risks. The NTD varied between years and generally decreased with increasing wheel load of the machinery. The WLCC simulations presented here provide a useful and easily interpreted tool to guide the avoidance of soil compaction.

The Impact of the Age of Vines on Soil Hydraulic Conductivity in Vineyards in Eastern Spain

“…Associated bulk density values up to 1.51 g cm −3 were observed for a loamy soil under vineyard and orchard land uses subjected to vehicle traffic [11]. In a loam soil of the Swiss Plateau, tilled with a direct drilling, Gut et al [41] found an average BD value of 1.47 g cm −3 at depth 0.1-0.16 m. In an investigation conducted by Boydell and Boydell [42] in Vertisols used for grain cropping, machinery traffic determined bulk densities in the range 1.25-1.45 g cm −3 at depth of 0.05-0.5 m. In a sandy loam soil, machinery traffic applied when the soil was dry (mean soil moisture 0.066 g g −1 ) resulted in an average BD = 1.59 g cm −3 at 0.15 to 0.30 depth [43]. Although care was put to avoid the wheel tracks during sampling, these results also indicate that Les Alcusses soil was throughout compacted by machinery operations due to the pass of lorries, vans, tractors, and men at the time of vineyard establishment.…”

Two decades of no-till in the Oberacker long-term field experiment: Part II. Soil porosity and gas transport parameters

“…Furthermore, the soil may be more prone to slaking and subsequent surface sealing in MP due to soil destabilisation during fragmentation by tillage, which could drastically reduce soil aeration even under dry conditions (Håkansson et al, 2012). Gut et al (2015) reported no difference in the long-term average soil matric potential at 0.3 m depth between NT and MP. However, Chervet et al (2006) found on average slightly more moist conditions in NT than in MP in maize during the summer months (June to August) based on tensiometer and TDR measurements during the period 1998-2005.…”

A Multi-Data Approach for Spatial Risk Assessment of Topsoil Compaction on Arable Sites

“…Table A2). In the decision matrix of Lorenz et al [22], the compaction risk is assessed by combining the susceptibility of soils to compaction and the mechanical load applied by machinery, as commonly used in soil compaction risk assessment [2,32,37,47,48] (Figure 3). Thresholds for each soil type to divide them into five susceptibility classes have been defined by an expert consortium (Appendix B, Figure A1).…”

“…The use of heavy machinery and intensive field traffic can lead to a soil load that exceeds the intrinsic stability and resilience of soil structure and induces soil compaction. Soil compaction is a worldwide problem in agriculture, but particularly in regions with high mechanization rates in the production chain [1,2] and high precipitation [3]. The process of soil compaction leads to a reduction of pore volume and change in pore structure and negatively influences the gas, water, and nutrient exchanges [1,[4][5][6][7].…”

“…On the other hand, the infiltration and storage capacity of water is reduced, which promotes water erosion associated with a loss of nutrients and chemicals, which in turn leads to pollution of surface waters Furthermore, soil compaction has negative impacts on the formation of floods and on the production of greenhouse gases, e.g., in the form of nitrogen losses [12][13][14]. Especially the subsoil (mostly below 0.3 cm) is endangered by compaction because this layer is not tilled, thus subsoil compaction is much more persistent and alleviation more difficult [2,15]. A persistent deformation of soil layers between 0.3 and 0.7 cm is often observed in field trials and recognized as almost irreversible [17].…”