Analysis of soil compaction and agricultural machinery

Soil compaction is a process in which there is a significant reduction of the pore space, which directly affects the macropores, which are responsible for water infiltration and soil aeration. Agricultural operations often present problems related to soil compaction, since the machinery used causes a number of effects on the soil. The objective of this work was to analyze soil compaction associated with the use of agricultural machinery in the lower basin of the Portoviejo River. First, the study site was described, then data was collected and analyzed with the help of a GPS, and an Agratronix penetrometer was used to measure soil compaction, then farmers were surveyed and the results were statistically analyzed using InfoStat.com software. The results show that in the soils where the agricultural machinery travels, the presence of compaction is found from the fifth level of depth, that is, at 25 cm.