Soil compaction effects on soil health and crop productivity: an overview

Soil compaction causes substantial reduction in agriculture productivity and has always been of great distress for farmers. Intensive agriculture seems to be more crucial in causing compaction. High mechanical load, less crop diversification, intensive grazing, and irrigation methods lead to soil compaction. It is further exasperated when these factors are accompanied with low organic matter, animal trampling, engine vibrations, and tillage at high moisture contents. Soil compaction increases soil bulk density and soil strength, while decreases porosity, aggregate stability index, soil hydraulic conductivity, and nutrient availability, thus reduces soil health. Consequently, it lowers crop performance via stunted above-ground growth coupled with reduced root growth. This paper reviews the potential causes of compaction and its consequences that have been published in last two decades. Various morphological and physiological alterations in plant as result of soil compaction have also been discussed in this review.