Maintenance of soils in good structural condition is fundamental to efficient crop production.
Soil structure controls the way in which roots, water and air move through soils.
Poorly structured and compacted soils are often associated with lower crop yields, higher inputs (nutrients, energy) and an increased risk of flooding, run-off and erosion, leading to sediment, nutrient and agrochemical losses to surface water.
Soil compaction often results in the formation of plough/traffic/tillage pans in arable systems or cow pans in grassland systems
Damage to soil structure largely arises due to compaction as a result of vehicle and livestock trafficking, particularly when soils are wet and not strong enough to withstand compressive pressures.
Soil compaction often results in the formation of plough/traffic/tillage pans in arable systems or cow pans in grassland systems where void space and particularly visible macropore space is significantly reduced.
There is a strong link between soil type, land use practices, climate and the risk of soil compaction.
Soil properties such as clay, calcium carbonate and organic matter content will determine a soil’s susceptibility to compaction, whereas its vulnerability to these processes depends largely on soil moisture content and cropping.
Identifying soil compaction
Soil bulk density has been identified as a useful indicator of soil physical condition, with changes in bulk density over time indicating a change in soil compaction or loosening and an associated decrease or increase in total porosity.
However, bulk density measurements (and other methods for quantifying soil physical condition) can be time-consuming and difficult to interpret.
Semi-quantitative, visual soil evaluation is increasingly being used as a low-cost, but effective field technique to assess soil condition. Rather than measuring one specific property, visual soil evaluation provides an overall assessment of the soil structural condition, providing an integrated assessment in three dimensions.
Strategies to maintain and
restore soil structure
Successful soil management should avoid soil structural damage and alleviate severe compaction when it occurs. Moreover, any soil management strategy should include methods to improve soil condition as well as those that repair damage.
It is important to consider the significance of soil structure to crop productivity and nutrient use efficiency and look at the use of visual soil evaluation techniques for assessing soil structural condition.
ADAS Boxworth, Battlegate Road, Boxworth, Cambridge, CB23 4NN, UK
Email: john.williams@adas.co.uk
Time operations to avoid travelling on and cultivating soils when they are wet.Limit vehicle weight and carefully control tyre pressures. Avoid growing root crops and late harvested crops on vulnerable soils.Enhance soil organic matter levels to improve soil structure and the stability and resilience of soils to degradation.
Maintenance of soils in good structural condition is fundamental to efficient crop production.
Soil structure controls the way in which roots, water and air move through soils.
Poorly structured and compacted soils are often associated with lower crop yields, higher inputs (nutrients, energy) and an increased risk of flooding, run-off and erosion, leading to sediment, nutrient and agrochemical losses to surface water.
Soil compaction often results in the formation of plough/traffic/tillage pans in arable systems or cow pans in grassland systems
Damage to soil structure largely arises due to compaction as a result of vehicle and livestock trafficking, particularly when soils are wet and not strong enough to withstand compressive pressures.
Soil compaction often results in the formation of plough/traffic/tillage pans in arable systems or cow pans in grassland systems where void space and particularly visible macropore space is significantly reduced.
There is a strong link between soil type, land use practices, climate and the risk of soil compaction.
Soil properties such as clay, calcium carbonate and organic matter content will determine a soil’s susceptibility to compaction, whereas its vulnerability to these processes depends largely on soil moisture content and cropping.
Identifying soil compaction
Soil bulk density has been identified as a useful indicator of soil physical condition, with changes in bulk density over time indicating a change in soil compaction or loosening and an associated decrease or increase in total porosity.
However, bulk density measurements (and other methods for quantifying soil physical condition) can be time-consuming and difficult to interpret.
Semi-quantitative, visual soil evaluation is increasingly being used as a low-cost, but effective field technique to assess soil condition. Rather than measuring one specific property, visual soil evaluation provides an overall assessment of the soil structural condition, providing an integrated assessment in three dimensions.
Strategies to maintain and
restore soil structure
Successful soil management should avoid soil structural damage and alleviate severe compaction when it occurs. Moreover, any soil management strategy should include methods to improve soil condition as well as those that repair damage.
It is important to consider the significance of soil structure to crop productivity and nutrient use efficiency and look at the use of visual soil evaluation techniques for assessing soil structural condition.
ADAS Boxworth, Battlegate Road, Boxworth, Cambridge, CB23 4NN, UK
Email: john.williams@adas.co.uk
Time operations to avoid travelling on and cultivating soils when they are wet.Limit vehicle weight and carefully control tyre pressures. Avoid growing root crops and late harvested crops on vulnerable soils.Enhance soil organic matter levels to improve soil structure and the stability and resilience of soils to degradation. 
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