Soil compaction can severely impact the productivity, profitability and environmental consequences of farming today. These impacts include decreased water infiltration, increased soil erosion, reduced yield, reduced nutrient uptake, increased input cost, reduced root growth and rooting depth, reduced water holding capacity, and reduced water and soil quality. Questions about Soil Compaction and this page can be directed to Alex Barrie, OMAFRA (alex.barrie@ontario.ca) or Ian McDonald, OMAFRA (ian.mcdonald@ontario.ca).
Interpreting Compaction Data
Interpreting Results from the Recorded Sensor Output
It is critical that you understand the limitations of the data and how to use the information. This is especially true if you are trying to decide on equipment modifications, and/or purchase. This data comes from public demonstrations like the Innovative Farmers Association of Ontario (IFAO) Compaction Action Day on September 7, 2017. Please remember that events like this are:
- A demonstration, not rigorous research
- One field, one time, one soil moisture (a snapshot of one scenario)
- 1-3 runs across a series of possibly 4 different sensor installations over 3 days
- Multiple equipment configurations crossing the sensors without a true “check” treatment to ensure sensor quality
- 4 different sensor installations, each giving slightly different values
- Some equipment only crossed one installation, in this case no “repetitions” exist
Given the constraints above, the results are reflective of the relative differences between technologies demonstrated. A range of implement types and equipment technologies were tested, and it is the technology that is important, not the brand of tractor or combine. Any of the configurations of axles, tires, weight, and inflation pressures are adaptable to any make or model. From hay wagons to combines, almost all types of implements were represented and tested. You can read more about interpreting soil compaction results here.
Reports from Major Events
The Field Crop News team and the Ontario Soil Compaction Team collect soil compaction data from unique equipment configurations at farm shows across the province. You can download final event reports from this page.
Elgin SCIA Event, 2019
The Elgin SCIA Event was held in Shedden on August 8, 2019. The soil at the site was a Tuscola Silt that most would classify as a clay.
Dundas SCIA Event, 2019
The Dundas SCIA Event was held in Winchester on August 29, 2019. The soil at the site was a Tuscola Silt that most would classify as a clay.
Perth SCIA Event, 2022
The Perth SCIA Compaction Event was held in Rostock on August 4 and 5, 2022. The soil at the site was primarily a Perth Clay Loam (40-55% clay).
Hamilton-Brant SCIA Event, 2022
The Hamilton-Brant SCIA Compaction Event was held in Ancaster on August 11, 2022. The soil at the site was primarily a Haldimand Heavy Clay (40-55% clay) close to a Brantford Soil, and the soil was wet for the entire depth of 36″.
Norfolk SCIA Event, 2024
The Norfolk Event was held in Courtland on August 1-3, 2024. The soil type is mapped as Brady, Hydrologic soil group C.
Quinte SCIA Event, 2024
The Quinte SCIA Compaction Event was held in Port Hope on September 6 and 7, 2024. The soil type as mapped in the Ontario Survey Complex is a Simcoe Silty Clay soil, Hydrologic soil group C.
North West SCIA Event, 2024
The North West SCIA Compaction Event was held in Emo on July 25 and 26, 2024. The soil type was Flemingo, clayey over loamy, Hydrologic soil group C.
Compaction Trial Datasheets Archive (coming soon)
The Field Crop News team collects soil compaction data from unique equipment configurations. The reports section of this page contains the results of this testing. A searchable database with results from individual pieces of equipment will be made available in the future.
Soil Compaction Articles from Field Crop News
- Visual Evaluation of Soil StructureSoil structure is a key indicator of soil health. The Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure (VESS) provides a simple framework for quantitatively scoring soil structure quality. It requires only a shovel for extracting a block of soil and a scoring sheet for evaluating it and can be performed in about 10 minutes with a little […]
- What’s Next in The Strategy to Reduce Soil Compaction: Observations on the Value of CTIS
This article was written by Alex Barrie, OMAFRA Soil Management Engineer, and Ian McDonald, OMAFRA Crop Innovations Specialist As discussed in the previous article (available here), as long as we are putting heavy implements on farm fields, soil compaction is a significant possibility. Lots of factors impact the severity of threat, like load, tire configurations […] - What’s Next In The Strategy To Reduce Soil Compaction?
If we are going to put big equipment into farm fields, soil compaction will continue to be a threat. Farm equipment, especially that which carries heavy loads (spreaders, sprayers, planters, grain wagons) needs to be configured to support that maximum load under road conditions. This often requires significantly higher tire pressures than what should […] - To Squat or Not to Squat: How Low can you Go?
Written by Ian McDonald, Crop Innovations Specialist, OMAFRA and Alex Barrie, Soil Management Engineer, OMAFRA The impact of farm equipment causing soil compaction is primarily a function of soil moisture at the time of traffic coupled with the total weight, axle load and tire pressure of the implement. By lowering the tire pressure, we reduce […] - Keeping Compaction at Bay in 2019!Published in Ontario Farmer June 4th, 2019. Authors Ian McDonald and Alex Barrie, OMAFRA and Peter Johnson, RealAgriculture It’s hard to put any more adjectives to the frustration of this springs weather. In 2019 “all bets are off” on what is the right thing to do in terms of planting timeliness, and how, when and […]
