REDUCTION OF CRUST IMPEDANCE TO SIMULATED SEEDLING EMERGENCE BY THE ADDITION OF MANURE

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The influence of manure additions to the seedbed of 2 soils noted for their emergence retarding crusts was investigated. Manure was added over the entire surface in some tests and in narrow bands immediately over the row in others. Crust formation was induced by the use of an artificial rain simulator. The impedance to emergence was measured by means of a probe used to penetrate the crusts from below as the soil dried. The incorporation of 50% manure by volume over the entire soil surface to a depth of 2.5 cm resulted in an increase of the force required to penetrate the crust in one of the soils tested. When manure was mixed with the soil in bands, directly above the rows, cracks opened as the soil dried and the impedance to penetration was greatly reduced. The reduction was related to the amount of manure incorporated in the bands. The impedance to emergence was also dependent on the moisture content of the crust. The impedance increased as the crust dried to a moisture content of 2-4% and decreased at lower moisture contents for those soils that cracked. The value of reducing the required emergence force by a factor of 10 by the use of narrow bands of manure directly above the row is discussed.

This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit: