What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to quantify the energy and economic implications of removing subsoil compaction in maize cropping.

May 6, 2026Open Access

The Energy Requirements, Productivity and Profitability Effects of Removing Subsoil Compaction in Maize Cropping in the Eastern Pampas of Argentina

GBGuido F. BottaNational University of Luján AEAlejandra Ezquerra‐CanalejoUniversidad Politécnica de Madrid DRDavid RiveroUniversidad Nacional de La Pampa

Key Points

This research aims to quantify the energy and economic implications of removing subsoil compaction in maize cropping.
Conducted experiments comparing three treatments for soil compaction: no-tillage, deep tillage with a paratill, and deep tillage with a chisel plow.
Measured soil cone index and maize yield across three growing seasons.
Calculated cost and gross income for each treatment.
Deep tillage with paratill significantly increased maize yield, improving gross margins across seasons.
Chisel plow treatment increased yields slightly, but not enough to affect average gross margins significantly.
Average gross income varied: paratill achieved US$1134/ha, chisel plow US$1027/ha, and no-tillage US$1001/ha.

Abstract

Removing subsoil compaction caused by agricultural traffic is energy-demanding and therefore expensive. Experimental work was undertaken on a Typic Argiudoll to quantify the energy required to remove subsoil compaction and determine the associated effects on yield and profitability. The following treatments were compared: (T1) soil under no-tillage for 20 years, which was used as a control; (T2) deep tillage performed with a paratill on soil that had had no-tillage in the 20 years prior to this study; and (T3) deep tillage performed with a chisel plow on soil that had had no-tillage in the 20 years prior to this study. The paratill and chisel plow were operated at depths of 400 and 250 mm, respectively, and the energy required to perform both (deep tillage) operations was determined. Soil cone index and maize yield were measured over three growing seasons and compared with T1. Results showed that the effect of deep tillage lasted for two years, after which the soil reconsolidated reaching soil strength values comparable to their pre-treatment condition. The reconsolidation of tilled soil over this period was due to both natural settlement and post-treatment (random) machinery traffic. The paratill treatment significantly increased maize yield compared with no-tillage, which therefore improved crop gross margins across all three seasons. The chisel plow treatment increased crop yields compared with no-tillage, but yield differences were small and therefore the average crop gross margins were not significantly different. Deep tillage with paratill costed US76 per ha and generated an average gross income of US1134 per ha, whereas deep tillage with chisel plow costed US29 per ha and generated an average gross income of US1027 per ha. These results compared with an average gross income of US1001 per ha obtained under no-tillage. If (strategic) deep tillage needs to be performed on long-term no-tillage soil to remediate compaction, paratill may be preferred to chisel plow, but care should be exercised not to re-compact the soil after the operation has been performed. One effective way to do this is by implementing controlled traffic.

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