Abstract
Problem statement: Sugarcane is one of the main economic crops in Thailand. After planting, it can be harvested annually for several successive ratoon crops. Recently, soil compaction due to mechanization has been recognized as a serious problem in sugarcane production. Therefore, this study aimed to clarify the effects of soil compaction on the growth and yield of sugarcane. Approach: The field experiments were conducted in loamy soil using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four treatments of soil compaction prepared by 0, 5, 15 and 20 numbers of wheel passages of a tractor. Results: The results showed that soil compaction had significant effects on both the growth and yield of sugarcane, with the exceptions of tillering and Brix. The greatest reduction in yield compared with the control field was 22.9%, which resulted from compacting with 15 tractor passages. The influence of block or furrow irrigation was indicated by the positive effect that higher watering had on minimizing the impact of soil compaction on the growth of sugarcane. Conclusion: Effects of soil compaction on growth and yield of sugarcane were clarified to some extent.
Highlights
Sugarcane is one of the most important crops in Thailand today
Alakukku and Elonen (1995) studied the long-term effects of compaction on yield and nitrogen uptake in clay and organic soils and reported that the mean result of the first eight years indicated that the compaction of clay soil from four passes reduced the yields by 4% and the nitrogen uptake of the annual crop by 9%
Much research has been conducted on soil compaction and its effects on yield, it is difficult to estimate an economic impact because fields vary in soil type, crop rotation
Summary
Sugarcane is one of the most important crops in Thailand today. Manual harvesting was popular due to its low cost, low soil compaction and low damage to cane roots and the subsequent ratoon crop. Heavy equipment and tillage implements can cause damage to the soil structure. Soil structure is important to enable soil to hold and conduct the water, nutrients and air that are necessary for plant root activity. Soil compaction increases bulk density and soil strength (which restricts the rooting ability of the crop) and decreases porosity and the water infiltration rate. Much research has been conducted on soil compaction and its effects on yield, it is difficult to estimate an economic impact because fields vary in soil type, crop rotation
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