ARS | Publication request: SUBSOIL MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES: ADVANCES IN SOIL SCIENCE

Submitted to: Agricultural Water Management
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: April 1, 1996
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: This is a review of a book titled "Subsoil Management Techniques." There are several aspects of plant growth that are affected by the physical properties of the subsoil, that in turn affect the chemical and biological activities in the soil. The practice of performing massive disruption of the subsoil, such as by deep tillage, often does not result in long-term benefits for crop production. The book reviews the various ways in which subsoil characteristics affect root function and then discusses various ways of managing that subsoil to improve its productive capacity. These methods include minimum tillage, slot tillage, bedding, drainage, chemical additives, and biological stabilization. Each is discussed with respect to the conditions where it is likely to produce positive results. This review provides the land manager with guidelines on which practice may work in various scenarios. However, the book does have a limitation in that its scope is restricted to conditions in South East Asia and Australia, and is not as all-inclusive as the title or introduction would suggest.