Abstract:

It is an inevitable trend that agricultural machines are replacing human and animal power in agricultural production. The soil mechanical compaction problem has become more and more prominent with the rapid improvement of agricultural mechanization level. In this study, we analyzed the stress transfer model of soil mechanical compaction and the deterioration of soil quality after the mechanical compaction such as the increase of soil bulk density and firmness, and the decrease of porosity, moisture content and permeability. It is found that soil compaction could lead to soil quality deterioration to inhibit the root growth and development of crops, and cause an adverse effect on the absorption of moisture and nutrients. It is estimated that soil mechanical compaction in agricultural production could reduce the yield of maize by 9.5%-14.4%, of wheat by 4.0%-20.0%, of soybean by 3.8%-13.4%, and of sugar beet root by 5.81%-24.13%, and sugar content of sugar beet by 0.49-0.81°Z. Therefore, sufficient attention must be paid to the soil compaction in agricultural production, and feasible technical measures should be taken to reduce the negative impact of agricultural mechanization on soil, promote crop growth and improve the comprehensive benefits of agriculture.

Key words: sugar beet, maize, soil, crop, agricultural mechanization, soil compaction