Subsoiling and temporary drainage in soils with low permeability

Description

The project evaluated and compared the effectiveness of two types of subsoil plows (mounted on a bulldozer or a tractor) operated parallel and perpendicular to the tile drains to improve soil drainage conditions and productivity compared to control plots. Three sites for the trials were selected in the Montérégie, Centre du Québec, and Chaudière-Appalaches regions on highly compacted clay soils with poor natural drainage. The productivity gains in commercial corn, soybean, and grain crops were compiled, analyzed, and compared in the light of the changes observed in the physical properties and hydraulic behavior of the soils.

Objective(s)

• Measuring and comparing the effectiveness of various subsoiling techniques to improve soil drainage and the productivity of commercial crops on compact, low-permeability soils
• Improving drainage on relatively impermeable soils using a more cost-effective method than enlarging or renovating an already dense drainage system