Abstract
The research was conducted to study the growth and the yield of the groundnut plant and to quantify the soil loss after groundnut harvesting as influenced by induced soil compaction. A ten kilogram of soil was packed in the pots with an initial bulk density of 1.05 Mg m-3, then it were compressed to1.57, 1.72, 1.88, 2.04, and 2.42 Mg m-3. The research was conducted in a completely randomized design with three replications. Groundnut seeds were sown in pots and the plant growth data were collected in a 2-week interval while force and energy of harvesting and soil loss due to groundnut harvesting were determined at 12 weeks after sowing. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and Fishers LSD at P= 0.05. Soil compacted to1.88 Mgm-3 produced more taller plant, more higher number of leaves and branches than control. Soil compaction significantly reduced the number of pods, roots, and fresh root weight compared to control. Bulk density (2.04 Mgm-3) required a significantly higher force (42.47 N) and energy (45.73 J) in harvesting than control and other compaction levels. Soil loss due to the groundnut harvesting increased (13- 42%) in all compaction levels although statistically not different. Soil compaction beyond 1.88 Mg m-3 could affect the growth and the yield of groundnut and could increase the soil loss at harvesting.
Highlights
Soil compaction is the process of increasing the density of soil by packing the particles closer together, causing a reduction in the volume of airJ Trop Soils, Vol 25, No 3, 2020: 147-156 ISSN 0852-257X ; E-ISSN 2086-6682(Wilson and Lorang 2000; Keller et al 2013)
Out of all the causes of soil compaction,the one caused by agricultural machinery which was grouped into tillage induced and traffic included compaction is most fatal (Rigo 2002)
The results indicated that compaction of soil beyond 1.88 Mgm-3 soil bulk density would affect groundnut height as a result of the reduction in pore spaces for water and air which are available for the plant roots
Summary
Soil compaction is the process of increasing the density of soil by packing the particles closer together, causing a reduction in the volume of airJ Trop Soils, Vol 25, No 3, 2020: 147-156 ISSN 0852-257X ; E-ISSN 2086-6682(Wilson and Lorang 2000; Keller et al 2013). According to Abdulai and Huffman (2005), many soil properties are EE Abosede et al.: Influence of Soil Compaction on Soil Loss from Groundnut negatively affected by compaction as it reduces soil pore and may increase its shearing strength (Keller et al 2013). Out of all the causes of soil compaction,the one caused by agricultural machinery which was grouped into tillage induced and traffic included compaction is most fatal (Rigo 2002). Compaction caused by these machinenery s, especially the ones below the plow layer is more concern since it is not selfcorrecting, it will be difficult to reverse or correcting (Nunes et al 2015)
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