Soil tilth

Abstract

Soil tilth describes the friability and physical quality of a soil for crop growth. Soil tilth is an old concept yet its direct quantification remains difficult. Tilth is characterized by measuring soil properties related to soil aggregates, pore structure, mechanical resistance and organic matter, or in the field using methods such as visual evaluation of soil structure. Soil tilth is positively influenced by management that increase soil organic matter content, and negatively influenced by soil compaction. Tillage to produce tilth can have positive or negative effects over time, the latter prompting shifts to reduced or no tillage.

Keywords

Aggregates; Bulk density; Crop growth; Soil management; Soil mechanical resistance; Soil organic matter; Soil physical quality; Soil pores; Soil strength; Soil structure; Tillage; Zero-tillage

Published in

Title: Encyclopedia of Soils in the Environment, Volume 5
Publisher: Elsevier

SLU Authors

• Keller, Thomas

  • Agroscope

UKÄ Subject classification

Soil Science

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-822974-3.00263-9
• ISBN: 978-0-323-95133-3

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/140289