Abstract
Summary The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of soil compaction on the herbage yield and root growth of lucerne ( Medicago sativa L.). A field experiment was conducted on a silty loam Mollic Fluvisols soil in 2003–2006. Herbage yield and root morphology, in terms of root length density, mean root diameter, specific root length and distribution of dry matter (DM) in roots, were measured. Four compaction treatments were applied three times annually by tractor using the following number of passes: control without experimental traffic, two passes, four passes and six passes. The tractor traffic changed the physical properties of the soil by increasing bulk density and penetration resistance. Soil compaction also improved its water retention properties. These changes were associated with changes in root morphology and distribution of the DM in roots. Soil compaction resulted in higher proportions of the DM in roots, especially in the upper, 0–10 cm, soil horizon. Decreases in the root length density were observed in a root diameter range of 0·1–1·0 mm. It was also found that roots in a more compacted soil were significantly thicker. An effect of the root system of lucerne on soil compaction was observed. The root system of lucerne decreased the effects of soil compaction that had been recorded in the first and the second year of the experiment. An increase in the number of passes resulted in a decrease in the DM yield of herbage in the second and third harvests each year.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
Tractor traffic increased soil bulk density and penetration resistance.
- Taxon
- lucerne
Medicago sativae1 - Treatment
- tractor traffice0
- Outcome
- bulk density and penetration resistancee0
- Direction
- increasinge0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The tractor traffic changed the physical properties of the soil by increasing bulk density and penetration resistance.”
e1“lucerne ( Medicago sativa L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil compaction improved soil water retention.
- Taxon
- lucerneMedicago sativae1
- Treatment
- Soil compactione0
- Outcome
- water retention propertiese0
- Direction
- improvede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Soil compaction also improved its water retention properties.”
e1“lucerne ( Medicago sativa L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Compaction was associated with altered root morphology and root dry matter distribution.
- Taxon
- lucerneMedicago sativae2
- Treatment
- soil compactione1
- Outcome
- root morphology and distribution of the DM in rootse0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“These changes were associated with changes in root morphology and distribution of the DM in roots.”
e1“soil compaction on the herbage yield”
e2“lucerne ( Medicago sativa L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Compaction increased the proportion of root dry matter in the upper 0–10 cm horizon.
- Taxon
- lucerneMedicago sativae1
- Organ / stage
- rootse0
- Treatment
- Soil compactione0
- Outcome
- proportions of the DM in rootse0
- Direction
- highere0
- Qualifier
- upper, 0–10 cm, soil horizone0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Soil compaction resulted in higher proportions of the DM in roots, especially in the upper, 0–10 cm, soil horizon.”
e1“lucerne ( Medicago sativa L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Compaction decreased root length density in roots 0·1–1·0 mm in diameter.
- Taxon
- lucerneMedicago sativae2
- Treatment
- Soil compactione1
- Outcome
- root length densitye0
- Direction
- Decreasese0
- Qualifier
- root diameter range of 0·1–1·0 mme0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Decreases in the root length density were observed in a root diameter range of 0·1–1·0 mm.”
e1“soil compaction on the herbage yield”
e2“lucerne ( Medicago sativa L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Roots in more compacted soil were significantly thicker.
- Taxon
- lucerneMedicago sativae1
- Treatment
- more compacted soile0
- Outcome
- rootse0
- Direction
- thickere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“roots in a more compacted soil were significantly thicker”
e1“lucerne ( Medicago sativa L.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Lucerne roots reduced the effects of soil compaction recorded in the first and second experimental years.
- Taxon
- lucerneMedicago sativae0
- Organ / stage
- root systeme0
- Outcome
- effects of soil compactione0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Qualifier
- first and the second year of the experimente0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The root system of lucerne decreased the effects of soil compaction that had been recorded in the first and the second year of the experiment.”
Claim · model-written summary
More tractor passes decreased herbage dry matter yield in the second and third harvests each year.
- Taxon
- lucerneMedicago sativae1
- Treatment
- increase in the number of passese0
- Outcome
- DM yield of herbagee0
- Direction
- decreasee0
- Qualifier
- second and third harvests each yeare0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“An increase in the number of passes resulted in a decrease in the DM yield of herbage in the second and third harvests each year.”
e1“lucerne ( Medicago sativa L.)”
The same questions in other papers
tillage · growth · Medicago sativa (alfalfa)Positive and negative results
8 papers in the same direction as this paper · 7 in the opposite direction
- positive
- negative
- positive
12 papers more in this group
See all 16 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.