Seeding time is almost here for Ontario, and for many that means getting farm machinery into the field. Heavy machines made heavier by loads of seed, sprays or fertilizer means increased risk of soil compaction. One way to combat this is to reduce air pressure in the tires.
While tires increase in width, which might seem like it would increase the area of soil that is compacted, in fact spreads out the weight over a greater area, which reduces the overall pressure on the soil and compaction.
The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) has released a report on the considerations involved in lowering tire pressure to combat soil compaction by Ian McDonald, crop innovations specialist, and Alex Barrie, soil management engineer. Titled “To squat or not to squat: how low can you go,” the report would be beneficial for anyone concerned about soil compaction in their fields.
