JORAJURÍA, Daniel.; BOTTA, Guido.; DRAGHI, Laura.
Abstract:
The aim of this paper was to quantify soil compaction induced by tractor traffic on a recently tillaged soil. Secondary tillage traffic was simulated by one pass of a conventional (2WD) tractor, using four different sizes of pneumatic wheels each one with two different ballasting conditions. Bulk density of the 0 to 600 mm profile was measured before and after traffic with gamma probe. Results agree with quoted references pointing topsoil compaction related to ground pressure and subsoil compaction related to total axle load indepndently of the former parameter. Considering only ballasted treatments, the least increment in topsoil compaction (19 %) was due to the treatment with the least ground pressure in spite of having the highest axle load. Nevertheless, the most important increment in subsoil compaction (16 %) was measured in the range 300 to 600 mm for the same treatment.
