Description of practice

Subsoiling is a tillage practice that loosens the subsoil with minimum disturbance of the topsoil.  It is primarily used to control plough pans.

Examples of how to use subsoiling Further information
(see Note below)

AMP11 01

Subsoiling with mulching

A subsoil plough is used to loosen subsoils while leaving the surface soil undisturbed. A stubble mulch is kept on the soil surface.

 

»WOCAT technology 2401

AMP11 02

No tillage preceded by subsoiling

A subsoiler at a 50 cm depth is used every 5 years in combination no tillage cultivation.

 

»WOCAT technology 1012

AMP11 03

Decompactor

A decompactor is a large subsoiler implement that lifts the soil at a depth of 30-40 cm by 5 cm and moves it sideways; hardpan soil layers are broken so that the permeability and structure of the soil is greatly improved.

 

»Wikipedia Decompactor


Note: Most of the Further information links are to a full description of the example in the WOCAT database. However sometimes the link may be to similar practices or a research paper. Occasionally the link is to a commercial product in which case it should be understood that this does not imply any endorsement of the product by iSQAPER.