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Soil mixing in the East Anglian fens
Author(s) -
Richardson S.J.,
Dyer C.J.,
Jewell S.N.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
soil use and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.709
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1475-2743
pISSN - 0266-0032
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-2743.1991.tb00842.x
Subject(s) - subsoil , peat , topsoil , environmental science , soil water , arable land , mixing (physics) , soil science , agronomy , agriculture , geography , physics , archaeology , quantum mechanics , biology
. Experiments were started in 1967 to investigate the effects of soil mixing on fen peat soil. Peaty topsoil was mixed with mineral subsoil to a maximum depth of 80 cm at two sites, one with a clay subsoil, the other sand. Mixing was done on a commercial scale with a range of implements. After initial increases, yields of arable crops on both mixed soils were subsequently similar to those on unmixed soil. Residual herbicide activity was enhanced on mixed soils, and evidence of peat conservation was obtained at one site. The practice has not been taken up commercially because of the high capital cost of mixing and lack of serious problems which had been predicted following peat wastage.