Northeast Region Certified Crop Adviser (NRCCA) Study Resources

In This Section

• PO 27 Health & indicators
• PO 28 Compaction
• PO 29 Compaction in Northeast USA
• PO 30 Long-term intensive crop production
• PO 31 Soil compaction factors
• PO 32 Variable susceptibility
• PO 33 Root/shoot growth, crop yield
• PO 34 Strength & water content
• PO 35 Penetrometer
• PO 36 Degradation from compaction
• PO 37 Soil compaction prevention
• PO 38 Soil compaction remediation
• Summary

Competency Area 4: Soil health and compaction

PO 32. Understand variable susceptibility to compaction among soil types due to the following factors.

1. Drainage
2. Texture

Drainage

A poorly drained soil will be in the liquid or plastic state for longer periods of time of the year and therefore will be more susceptible to compaction.

Texture

Soils with high clay content are highly sensitive to soil compaction. This is partly due to the  fact that they dry out slowly and this causes them to be in the liquid or plastic state for long periods of time, and partly because the clay platelets easily slide over each other causing them to pack more easily than sand or silt particles which are not plate-like.