NASHVILLE—Soil serves as the foundation for crop growth, productivity and by extension crop yield and profitability.
Healthy soil provides nutrients, supports robust root systems and facilitates efficient absorption of water and minerals. Given how connected soil is to your success, keeping it healthy is crucial, and minimizing soil compaction is a key.
During harvest, you want to get your crops harvested when you can while minimizing soil compaction however you can. It's a balancing act.
There are many best practices to help reduce your equipment's impact on the soil, but have you considered how your tires play a role?
The right tire design and proper tire inflation can help minimize soil compaction and keep your most valuable resource healthy.
Understanding your soil and its condition is a key first step in building best management practices to minimize soil compaction.
Three main factors impact soil compaction: soil moisture levels, soil type and the pressure exerted on the soil.
- Soil moisture level. Wet soil is less resistant to external pressures, making it easily compacted. When possible, avoid excessive traffic on wet soil.
- Soil type. Different soil types vary in their susceptibility to compaction. Clay soils are highly susceptible due to their small, consistent particle size, while sandy soils are less prone to compaction because they have larger particles and allow water to drain quickly. Managing your soil based on soil type can help minimize compaction.
- The pressure exerted on soil/the amount of traffic. Common knowledge tells us that the more pressure you apply to soil, the more likely it is to become compacted. Reducing and controlling the traffic on your soil during harvest helps minimize the impact.
A tire's footprint directly influences equipment's soil compaction.
A larger footprint distributes the machinery's weight over a larger area, reducing the pressure exerted on the soil and helping to minimize the depth and severity of compaction.
A smaller footprint concentrates the weight over a smaller area, increasing the risk of deep soil compaction.