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How to build the proper lumpy soil structure?

Soil serves as a foundational food system, prevents biodiversity loss, and contributes to fuel production. It is crucial for the proper functioning of ecosystems, playing a key role in the carbon cycle. The durable lumpy structure of the soil is a vital quality indicator, ensuring easy root growth and optimal water and air conditions for plant development. This structure creates smaller or larger volumes between particles, forming channels that facilitate the supply of oxygen and nutrient-dissolved water to plant roots. These free spaces also enhance root penetration into deeper substrate layers, significantly protecting plants against drought and aiding the rooting process. Humus substances, acting as binders, facilitate the formation of this soil structure. Farmers should perform treatments to improve soil structure, including liming, using natural fertilizers and agents that increase organic matter content, proper tillage, and well-arranged crop rotation. Globally, soils face threats from unsustainable farming practices, deforestation, environmental pollution, and climate change. Proper land management through appropriate cultivation techniques can counteract these adverse changes. As the value of land increases and good quality soil is lost due to construction and infrastructure development, protecting soil resources has become a crucial challenge. The rate of land degradation threatens future generations' ability to meet food needs, necessitating a sustainable approach to soil cultivation.

Soil properties and productivity depend on:
- Mineral composition of the bedrock
- Content and quality of dead organic matter (humus, plant, and animal remains), which serve as a nutrient source and structure-forming factor
- Ability to collect and release water to plants, primarily dependent on soil's mechanical composition and structure
- Air exchange between the ground and the atmosphere, ensuring aerobic conditions for plant root life.

Cultivation that improves soil structure

Among the key features of soil is its compactness, influenced by structure, humidity, and organic matter content. Maintaining good soil structure through appropriate agricultural techniques is crucial for improving its condition. It is important to reduce compactness in heavy clay soils, while for loose soils, the opposite is necessary. These soils are typically too loose and airy, requiring enrichment with organic matter. Cultivation procedures aimed at loosening the soil and mixing plant residues and fertilizers have a beneficial effect on its structure. However, intensive mechanical cultivation can lead to increased mineralization of organic compounds due to excessive aeration and mechanical grinding of particles, adversely affecting soil structure. It is essential to limit the intensity of tillage operations according to the principle: perform as many tillage treatments as necessary, but as few as possible. Good results are achieved by shallow plowing and replacing the plow with other tools, such as Rolmako products: U624 chisel plow, U436 no-plow cultivator, and U652 disc harrow. Reducing the intensity of tillage in various ways contributes to improving soil structure. Avoiding plowing brings significant benefits. Intensive mechanical cultivation can cause excessive soil aeration, leading to increased mineralization of organic matter by microorganisms and a reduction in its content in the soil. Additionally, intensive cultivation contributes to the mechanical grinding of soil particles and excessive dust. The adverse impact of heavy agricultural equipment can be mitigated by using twin wheels, tracked drives, or lowering tire pressure. All cultivation activities should aim for a lumpy soil structure, which has greater porosity and lower surface density. Repeated treatments, especially on wet soil, lead to compaction and the unfavorable formation of a plow sole. A strongly compacted layer hinders water filtration, air movement, and nutrient transport. The principle of performing as many tillage operations as necessary, but as few as possible, works well here. To achieve a lumpy soil structure before sowing, various cultivation techniques and agricultural machines can be used, depending on the type of soil and local conditions.





Pre-sowing cultivators: are tillage machines designed to create a lumpy soil structure, preparing the soil before sowing. This characteristic surface structure is ideal for plant root development, improving soil quality and increasing crop efficiency. Agricultural machines like Rolmako pre-sowing units, such as the VibroSTAR model and the U684 compact tillage unit, enhance soil quality and cultivation efficiency. These machines are also suited for corrective field work to achieve the desired structure.





Disc harrows: cultivating units with discs that rotate in the direction of travel, crushing clods of earth and creating lumps. They help loosen and prepare the soil for sowing. They are used to treat stubble and prepare the land for sowing. Rolmako U693, U652 disc harrows, and the SpeedCutter model are ideal for this. Disc harrows are often combined with other agricultural tools, such as leveling drags, knife rollers, or rakes that spread crop residues across the width of the crop.





Crosskill Rollers: These heavy cylindrical rollers are utilized to crush clods and level the soil surface post-tillage. Widely employed in agricultural tillage, their primary functions include leveling the ground, crushing plant residues, improving soil structure, and reducing erosion. They ensure the earth is evenly crumbled and leveled. The roller rings break up lumps and mix plant residues with the soil, enhancing its quality and aiding sowing operations. A notable solution is the Rolmako roller in configuration with the main working tool as a Crosskill roller for field leveling and clod breaking. They also serve as a finishing element for larger agricultural machinery.





Cambridge Rollers: Predominantly utilized in agriculture for diverse soil tillage operations. The primary function of Cambridge rollers is to level the ground, crush soil clods, and produce a smooth surface. They facilitate a uniform soil surface, essential for seeding tasks. The Cambridge roller from Rolmako can be fitted with a Crossboard drag for pre-sowing tasks or a knife roller for post-harvest operations.





Unit for No-Plough Cultivation: This modern agricultural machine facilitates soil cultivation without the use of plows. It employs various tools to loosen and enhance soil structure. Machines equipped with special stubble tines can loosen and mix the soil at greater depths, improving aeration and water access. Examples include Rolmako U436 stubble cultivators, which offer extensive configuration options for various working tools, allowing adaptation to prevailing field conditions and desired outcomes.





Knife rollers: are agricultural tools equipped with blades that penetrate the ground and crush plant residues in stubble, improving their utilization and positively impacting soil structure. The knife roller shreds plant residues into smaller pieces, facilitating their decomposition in the ground. This accelerates the process of decomposition and conversion of residue into organic soil materials, thereby increasing land fertility. These machines assist in grinding plant residues into smaller fragments that can be better incorporated into the soil and enhance its properties. Rolmako ProCut and TurboCut optimize stubble management and maximize its benefits for the cultivated soil.






Leveling drag: An element of tillage equipment, such as tillage units and disc harrows. It improves soil structure and allows for efficient and uniform seed distribution. Widely used in agriculture for preliminary work like preparing fields for sowing or planting, and for corrective work, such as improving soil structure after adverse weather conditions. It smooths uneven terrain, breaks up clods, and creates an even surface for cultivation.

Crop Rotation: An Important Influence on Soil Condition

Maintaining good soil structure requires proper crop rotation, which includes leaving significant amounts of plant residues in the field. A well-constructed crop rotation consists of plants with different impacts on soil structure: structure-forming plants and those that weaken it. Effective crop rotation ensures that the detrimental effects of certain plants are mitigated by those that enhance soil structure, thus increasing soil fertility over time. Alfalfa or clover, with their deep, well-developed root systems, positively influence soil structure. Conversely, root crops, corn, and root vegetables deplete the soil, partly due to minimal harvest residues and cultivation methods like wide-row planting, which accelerates soil humus decomposition. Cereals and oil plants have a neutral impact on soil structure.

The lumpy soil structure is the basis for good yields

The lumpy structure of the soil, and especially its water-air relations, is one of the factors determining the level of yield, as they influence the biological activity of the soil, which results in better use of nutrients. It is important to adapt techniques and machinery to specific soil conditions and crop needs, as different types of soil may require different remedial actions. Moreover, maintaining a sustainable approach to agriculture and minimizing the impact on the natural environment is crucial in the process of improving soil structure.

Summary

The lumpy soil structure is crucial in agriculture for enhancing quality and cultivation efficiency. Rolmako agricultural tools facilitate this structure, benefiting agri-food production. Sustainable methods like no-tillage and ultra-shallow soil cultivation minimize earth layer disturbance, preserving good soil structure. Reducing or eliminating plowing mitigates soil erosion and supports microorganisms. The choice of techniques and machinery hinges on land type, climate, crops, and resources. It is essential to assess your field and customize activities to meet its needs. Heavy equipment movement negatively impacts soil structure; thus, limiting field passes by aggregating tools, reducing tire pressure, or using wide tires, twin wheels, or tracked gears is recommended. Autumn harvest yields depend significantly on the soil's structure and sowing preparation.