The soil-water cost of heavy machinery traffic on a Queensland Vertisol, Australia

Article

McGeary, R., West, D.J., Roberton S.D. and Bennett, J. McL. 2022. "The soil-water cost of heavy machinery traffic on a Queensland Vertisol, Australia ." Geoderma Regional. 29, pp. 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geodrs.2022.e00506
Article Title

The soil-water cost of heavy machinery traffic on a Queensland Vertisol, Australia

ERA Journal ID210508
Article CategoryArticle
AuthorsMcGeary, R., West, D.J., Roberton S.D. and Bennett, J. McL
Journal TitleGeoderma Regional
Journal Citation29, pp. 1-9
Article Numbere00506
Number of Pages9
Year2022
PublisherElsevier
ISSN2352-0094
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geodrs.2022.e00506
Web Address (URL)https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352009422000268
Abstract

The development of larger, more powerful agricultural machinery to increase field efficiency has occurred in broad-acre agricultural systems, at the risk of significant soil compaction. The effect of heavy machinery on the increase in soil bulk density is often recorded as an indication of this compaction, but the soil-water effects are rarely directly measured. It is therefore important to understand the impact of soil compaction on the soil water characteristic under such machinery, which was the objective of this work. Using the John Deere 7760 (JD7760) cotton picker as a case study, a Vertisol from Jimbour, Queensland, Australia was investigated for changes in soil water potential after traffic from a conventionally and a controlled traffic farming (CTF) configured JD7760 to determine the magnitude of impact non-CTF systems have on Australian cotton production systems. Bulk density, saturated moisture content, and cracking pattern were also determined. The saturated hydraulic conductivity decreased significantly in response to traffic with the greatest relative reduction occurring in the lower depths. Bulk density increased significantly in response to traffic, with the greatest relative increase occurring nearer the surface. The cracking pattern and area of void represented by soil cracks was shown to be related to change in soil bulk density due to traffic. Plant available water was demonstrably reduced, and this significant decrease was inferred from cracking pattern analysis. Basic economics for the traffic systems are presented to provide an economic and environmental imperative to traffic system management.

KeywordsCompaction; Controlled traffic; Machine traffic; Soil condition; Vertisols
ANZSRC Field of Research 20203002. Agriculture, land and farm management
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FunderCotton Research and Development Corporation
Byline AffiliationsCentre for Sustainable Agricultural Systems
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