Abstract
This study was carried out to investigate the present status of subsoil compaction, and subsoil compaction management in orchard as a basic study for developing a self-propelled explosive subsoiler. Subsoil compaction was evaluated using the soil penetration resistance. Soil cone index was measured using the DIK 5520 type cone penetrometer in several fruit farms such as apple, pear, peach and grapes during growing seasons of these fruit in Jecheon, Gamgok, Choongju, Cheonan and Hwasung areas. Most of the subsoil managing machinery were either explosive type or digging type attached to the tractor or power tiller and turning radius of this machine was more than 3-5 m. Many of the farmers wanted to use the subsoiler which can put lime into soil and rupture soil at the same time. For most of the orchard fields, soil penetration resistance in vehicle traffic area was increased quickly and reached about 1.0 MPa in 5 cm soil depth. As the soil depth increased to 15-20 cm, cone penetration resistance reached about 2.0-2.5 MPa which restricted root growth seriously. Thus it was concluded that one of the main reason for increasing the soil compaction in orchard fields is agricultural vehicle traffic. In the vicinity of fruit trees, compaction is not so serious compared to that of the vehicle traffic area, but as the soil depth increased to 20-25 cm, in most of the orchard fields soil penetration resistance reached about 2.0-2.5 MPa which is the root growth-limiting value. Considering the rooting depth of fruit trees which ranged 30-60 cm for apple, pear and peach, and 20-30 cm for grape, it is necessary to loosen the subosoil and improve the subsoil conditions using subsoiler.
