Effects of Four Different Crops Harvest Processes on Soils Compaction

Abstract

The rapid population growth in the developing world in order to meet the food demands, agricultural land is exposed to high traffic in the year. The composed traffic influences negatively the physical properties of the soil. As a result of unconsciously processing the soil; the loss of organic matter increases, the compaction occurs at the top and bottom of soils, the structure breaks down and thereby, soil degradation begins. Because of the degradation, there is a significant decline in productivity. Water storage property of the soil in Konya plain, where it is located in the arid and semi-arid climate zone, has great important. The connection between soil particle array and pore structures is important in terms of soil water holding capacity. In this study, the effects of agricultural machinery on the soils, which are under different cultures (corn, sugar beet, sunflower and wheat), was examined at the pre-harvest and post-harvest stage. Bulk density and soil compaction were measured in the clay soils. The bulk density values showed an alteration between 1.21-1.46. Showed significant differences between pre and post-harvest the bulk density values. In the measurements of penetration resistance values of 0-20 and 20-40 cm, the values measured before harvest were observed to increase after harvest.