Adapting the Terranimo® Web tool to assess the risks of subsoil compaction by farming equipment in Québec

Description

Deep soil compaction adversely impacts crop productivity and its effects endure over a long period of time. It is important to educate farmers on the causes of deep compaction. The Terranimo® tool, a European Web-based platform, simulates the effects of farm equipment traffic on soil compaction by calculating the depth propagation of soil surface loads.

This tool was developed in Europe and validated with a series of test benches that assessed most tires available on the market inflated to various pressures and with applied loads that simulated most types of farming equipment (tractors, trailers, self-propelled machinery). The software, which will be adapted to Québec conditions, will include specific equipment and will optimize tractor balancing. It will also incorporate typical soil and water content profiles that can be selected from an on-line soil map. An apparatus consisting of Bolling-type pressure sensors connected to a computer or programmable logic controller will also be created to measure deep compaction (during demonstration days) in order to provide farmers with tangible results and enhance their knowledge of soil compaction. Lastly, educational material, which will be presented during training days, will be developed to facilitate use of the software, including a document on the causes and effects of deep soil compaction.

Objective(s)

• Provide farmers and their agricultural consultants with a comprehensive toolkit to assess, understand, and reduce the impact of farming equipment traffic on compaction generated at various depths and its effects on soil and crop productivity.