
Soil Detective Helps Farmers By Tara Weaver July 16, 1997Smearing the soil in farm fields during
planting can make it tough for young corn plant roots to push their way through
the soil. But a fiber optic sensor developed by scientists with
USDAs Agricultural Research Service
could warn growers that smearing is happening. This would give the grower an
opportunity to adjust equipment or change planting attachments. The sensor was developed in studies led by Donald C. Erbach at ARS
National Soil
Dynamics Laboratory, Auburn, Ala. Soil smearing is just what the name implies. As planting equipment sows crop
seeds, the machinery rubs against the soil. This rubbing may smear the soil,
forming a smooth, compact layer in the seed furrow. This slick layer of soil slows air and water flow through the soil and
restricts shoot and root growth. More pressure from the planter can mean more
smearing. Since theres no effective way to detect how much soil smearing
the planter causes, its difficult to estimate crop losses. The fiber optic sensor would serve as an alarm attached to the planter. The
sensor projects a light beam onto the sidewall of the seed furrow and analyzes
the reflected light for characteristics that indicates smearing. When the
sensor detects soil smearing, it sends a signal to the grower. ARS scientists are looking for
partners to develop the fiber optic sensor technology for the marketplace.
Their work on the sensor at Auburn, Ala., and Ames, Iowa, is part of the
emerging high-tech field of precision agriculture--using new technology to help
farmers conserve resources while improving their production efficiency. Scientific contact: Donald C. Erbach,
National Soil Dynamics Laboratory, Auburn, Ala., phone (334) 844-4741 (ext.
148), fax (334) 887-8597, [email protected]. U.S. Department of Agriculture | |