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The effects of cultivation on aeration, drainage, and other soil factors important in plant growth
Author(s) -
Hawkins J. C.
Publication year - 1962
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740130707
Subject(s) - aeration , environmental science , tillage , plant root , soil water , drainage , plant growth , soil science , agronomy , ecology , biology
This paper examines the value of cultivation experiments in which crop yields are taken as a measure of the effects of different tillage treatments The soil properties important in plant growth, which can be influenced by cultivation, are discussed together with the problems of measuring these properties in the field. In particular, the importance of cultivations in water movement, the resistance of soil to root penetration and in aeration are considered. Experiments to measure the oxygen consumption of soils and plant root systems under near‐field conditions are briefly described and a method outlined of measuring the rates of diffusion of gases in soil in situ. Results are given of some preliminary experiments to examine the effects of soil physical conditions on oxygen consumption.