A comparative study of conventional and controlled traffic in irrigated cotton: I. Heavy machinery impact on the soil resource
Article
Article Title | A comparative study of conventional and controlled traffic in irrigated cotton: I. Heavy machinery impact on the soil resource |
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ERA Journal ID | 5270 |
Article Category | Article |
Authors | Bennett, John McL. (Author), Roberton, Stirling D. (Author), Jensen, Troy A. (Author), Antille, Diogenes L. (Author) and Hall, Jake (Author) |
Journal Title | Soil and Tillage Research |
Journal Citation | 168, pp. 143-154 |
Number of Pages | 12 |
Year | 2017 |
Publisher | Elsevier |
Place of Publication | Netherlands |
ISSN | 0167-1987 |
0933-3630 | |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2016.12.012 |
Web Address (URL) | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167198716302690 |
Abstract | To increase in-field efficiency of mechanical operations, machines have increased in size and capacity, which has resulted in cotton pickers approaching 40 Mg in mass. Such mass presents concern for soil compaction and subsequent crop performance. Controlled traffic farming (CTF) is a useful means to reduce machine impact, but is not highly adopted globally. This investigation was designed to compare a standard cotton picker side-by-side to a CTF converted cotton picker in terms of soil resource impact. A replicated, side-by-side, commercial scale experiment was instigated with a 1.5 m row-spacing CTF system compared against a 1.0 m row-spacing standard cotton system. Soil moisture, bulk density, and strength were measured immediately prior and post harvest, along with crop yield, for two cotton seasons and one wheat season. In depth cotton quality, water use efficiency and economic analysis are undertaken in a companion paper. Both machines were shown to induce comparable soil compaction, effects detectable to 0.8 m soil depth, with the main difference being a 17% reduction in furrow traffic for the CTF system. The inner and outer dual wheel of the standard picking system had similar impact, effectively creating a horizontal compaction pan at 0.35–0.40 m depth, perpendicular to the direction of machine travel. Bio-ripping of this compaction pan by wheat was demonstrated as ineffectual. The CTF system grew less cotton plants per hectare, but outperformed the standard system. Bio-ripping more effectively accessed water in the CTF system and out yielded the conventional system by 60%. |
Keywords | soil strength, consolidation, soil compaction management |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 410605. Soil physics |
300499. Crop and pasture production not elsewhere classified | |
409901. Agricultural engineering | |
Public Notes | Files associated with this item cannot be displayed due to copyright restrictions. |
Byline Affiliations | National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture |
Auscott, Australia | |
Institution of Origin | University of Southern Queensland |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q3w50/a-comparative-study-of-conventional-and-controlled-traffic-in-irrigated-cotton-i-heavy-machinery-impact-on-the-soil-resource
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