Does Soil Compaction Limit Soybean Yield?

Title: Is Compaction a Limiting Factor in Maximizing Soybean Yield: If So, Why? Abstract: We are proposing to work with individual producers in western Kentucky on their farms, utilizing their planters and equipment to document any potential sources of compaction created during the growing season. The soil conditions present for planting, in-season management, and harvest have generally become wetter and fewer “ideal” conditions for trafficking the soil exists during a growing season. This causes farmers to delay planting and other field operations, conduct field operations when conditions are not ideal, or increase equipment capacity so more acres can be covered in a given amount of time. We propose to select farmer fields to document soil compaction at planting, during the season, and after soybean harvest. Briefly, we will follow a planter pass in a field, preferably across two different landscape positions to document intra- and inter-row compaction, seed emergence, in-season growth, and soybean yield. With this information, a concerted effect will be made after soybean harvest to address potential remedies to the various forms and degrees of soil compaction located in the soybean fields. An economic analysis will be conducted to determine the extent soil compaction my be limiting optimal returns for soybean production