- Author: Sarah Light
Soil compaction is often a problem in field crop production and occurs when soil particles are pressed together, reducing available pore space for air and water. About half the soil volume is composed of particles, the other half is soil pores. At field capacity, these pores are roughly filled to equal parts with water and air. Pores are the spaces where roots grow, microbes live, and water and nutrients move through the soil. For this reason, compaction can lead to poor water infiltration, increased water runoff and soil erosion, restricted root growth, reduced nutrient uptake, and ultimately poor plant growth and lower yields. For example, last spring we visited a dry bean field where there was about an acre of beans along a road...
- Author: Konrad Mathesius
Field crop growers, PCAs, and other members of the ag community.
As a new UC advisor with a degree in soils, I am in the process of getting better acquainted with the soils in the area. Sacramento, Solano, and Yolo counties have an incredible diversity in soils. While most of the soils in the area are well-mapped, the maps are scaled to a larger area than might be fitting for growers. Most growers have a pretty good idea of the soils they are working on, but might be willing to let someone have a second look. This lends itself to a mutually beneficial arrangement. I get a better understanding of the soils in the area, you get a layer-by-layer analysis of your soils in terms of texture, rock...
