Soil compaction caused by agricultural equipment and its effect on wheat yield in Pakistan | |
| Author | Ahmed, Qurban |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no. AE-88-09 |
| Subject(s) | Wheat--Pakistan Plants, Effect of soil compaction on Agricultural implements |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Engineering, School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | An experiment was conducted in wheat cropping season of 1988 to evaluate the effects of traffic-induced compaction on wheat yield in Pakistan. Main treatments consisted of high type pressure (HTP) and low type pressure (LTP). Compaction treatments, systematically arranged in a block design with four replications, were having zero, two, four, eight and twelve passes of tractor (Fiat 640). Compaction treatments were applied just before sowing. Two and four passes of tractor increased penetration resistance of soil surface, and dry bulk density; and as a result there were significant reduction in soil porosity. 8 and 12 passes had nonsignificant additional effects on soil properties as compared to 2 and 4 passes. Compaction affected soil properties in the 0-20 cm depth layer and were more evident in high type pressure (HTP) treatments than low type pressure (LTP) treatments. The percentage reduction in grain yield corresponding to 2, 4, 8 and 12 tractor passes was 41 %, 57%, 64% and 67% respectively as compared to non-compacted plots. There was reduction in mean grain yield at all levels of compaction for the 1988 experiment as compared to 1987 experiment. The yield data of 1988 was corrected with respect to 1987 data to provide the same base for comparisons. The mean values of 1988 corrected yield data for 2, 4, 8 and 12 tractor passes were 8.56%, 8.44%, 6% and 5.27% lower than the corresponding 1987 yield data. These differences were found to be statistically significant at 95% level. All these reductions were more marked in high type pressure (HTP) treatments as compared to low type pressure (LTP) treatments. Crop yields were found to be negatively correlated to soil dry bulk density, penetration resistance and tractor passes and positively correlated to soil porosity and fruitful tiller population. |
| Year | 1988 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Other Field of Studies (No Department) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Agricultural and Food Engineering (AE) |
| Chairperson(s) | Gee-Clough, D. |
| Examination Committee(s) | Singh, Gajendra ;Gupta, Chandra P. ;Salokhe, Vilas M. |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | DAAD (West Germany) |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1988 |