Quantifying soil compaction effects on soil macropores and corn root morphology through image analysis

Excessive soil compaction is among the most significant influences on soil quality and crop production worldwide. The source of excessive soil compaction is primarily due to the increase in agricultural machinery mass and changes in field management strategies, which have substantially increased agricultural productivity over the last century. The prevalence of excessive agricultural traffic-induced compaction has led to the development of a broad field of research attempting to understand the mechanisms of soil compaction in agriculture and how it could be managed, without making significant sacrifices to modern farming equipment and practices that have led to the high yielding production that civilization enjoys. Many methodologies exist to both analyze and manage the impacts of soil compaction, each with specific implications and conclusions that better inform the scientific understanding of soil behavior and its impact on agriculture. The goal of the research within this manuscript was to evaluate the soil compaction induced by different agricultural machine systems and field management decisions and the resulting impacts on soil quality and root morphology as they pertain to the soil compaction induced by these practices. This research involved three case studies that evaluate the impact of soil compaction induced by different agricultural practices on soil pore and corn root morphology via image analysis.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Agricultural & Biological Engr

Grantor

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2025

Author dc:creator

• Barber, Beau

Contributors dc:contributor

• Grift, Tony
• Wander, Michelle
• Allen, Cody
• Ugarte, Carmen
• Kamruzzaman, Mohammed

• X-Ray CT Scanning
• Image Analysis
• Soil Structure
• Porosity
• Tillage
• Planters
• Soil Compaction
• Agricultural Tire Configurations
• Corn Root Morphology

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2025 Beau Barber

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129447

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F129447