Soybean Growth over and between Subsoil Channels on Two Loamy Sands 1

Visual differences in soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] growth have been observed in dry years where soybeans were grown on loamy sands in Arkansas that had been subsoiled at right angles to the row. Because of this observation, soybeans were grown over and between subsoil channels to characterized soybean development as affected by the distance soybeans were planted from a subsoil channel. A Crevasse loamy sand (a mixed, thermic Typic Udipsamments) and a Steele loamy sand (a sandy over clayey, mixed, nonacid, thermic Aquic Udifluvents) were subsoiled to an approximate depth of 35 cm at right angles to the row (cross‐subsoiled) with subsoil shanks spaced at 97 cm and planted with soybeans. Plant height, total dry weight, and seed yield were measured on soybeans that were grown over the subsoil channel and at two distances between channels at 20 sites on each soil. Plant height, total dry weight, and seed yield declined with distance from the subsoil channel. Soybeans with poorest growth were located at the midpoint between subsoil channels. The decline in soybean growth with distance from the subsoil channel was attributed to reduction in traffic pan destruction as the distance from the subsoil channel increased.