Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #181955
Title: DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUTION OF A HORIZONTALLY OPERATING SOIL STRENGTH PROFILE SENSOR

Author
item CHUNG, SUN-OK - NAT INST AGRIC ENG, KOREA
item Sudduth, Kenneth - Ken

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/20/2005
Publication Date: 8/4/2005
Citation: Chung, S., Sudduth, K.A. 2005. Development and evaluation of a horizontally operating soil strength profile sensor. In: Proceedings of the First Asian Conference on Precision Agriculture, August 4-6, 2005, Toyohashi, Japan. CDROM. p. 101-106.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Because soil compaction is a concern in crop production and environmental pollution, quantification and management of spatial and vertical variability in soil compaction (or soil strength) would be a useful aspect of site-specific field management. In this paper, a soil strength profile sensor (SSPS) that could take measurements continuously while traveling across the field was developed. The SSPS obtained data simultaneously at 5 evenly spaced depths up to 50 cm using an array of load cells, each of which was interfaced with a soil-cutting tip. Means of soil strength measurements collected in adjacent, parallel transects were not significantly different, confirming the repeatability of soil strength sensing with the SSPS. Maps created with PSSI data showed spatial and vertical variability in soil strength. Depth to the restrictive layer was different for different field locations, and only 5 to 16% of the tested field areas were highly compacted.