Threshold Subsoil Bulk Density for Optimal Soil Physical Quality in Upland: Inferred Through Parameter Interactions and Crop Growth Inhibition

Optimal range of soil physical quality to enhance crop productivity or to improve environmental health is still in dispute for the upland soil. We hypothesized that the optimal range might be established by comparing soil physical parameters and their interactions inhibiting crop growth. The parameter identifying optimal range covered favorable conditions of aeration, permeability and root extension. To establish soil physical standard two experiments were conducted as follows; 1) investigating interactions of bulk density and aeration porosity in the laboratory test and 2) determining effects of soil compaction and deep & conventional tillage on physical properties and crop growth in the field test. The crops were Perilla frutescens, Zea mays L., Solanum tuberosum L. and Secale cereael. The saturated hydraulic conductivity, bulk density from the root depth, root growth and stem length were obtained. Higher bulk density showed lower aeration porosity and hydraulic conductivity, and finer texture had lower threshold bulk density at 10% aeration bulk density. Reduced crop growth by subsoil compaction was higher in silt clay loam compared to other textures. Loam soil had better physical improvement in deep rotary tillage plot. Combined with results of the present studies, the soil physical quality was possibly assessed by bulk density index. Threshold subsoil bulk density as the upper value were $1.55Mg\;m^{-3}$ in sandy loam, $1.50Mg\;m^{-3}$ in loam and $1.45Mg\;m^{-3}$ in silty clay loam for optimal soil physical quality in upland.