Summary: Soil compaction is an issue farmers face in regions across the country, however, there are some unique differences between management approaches in the Western/Southern regions, compared to the Northern region. In this podcast, we chat with Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development WA Agricultural Development Officer, Bindi Isbister, who is based in Geraldton, WA, to get a Western/Southern perspective. Agronomy professional & crop nutrition specialist, Bede O’Mara, gives us the Northern perspective. He works at Incitec Pivot Fertilisers in Toowoomba. Soil compaction leads to aeration issues and reduced water infiltration rates. This impacts negatively on a crop as its roots have less access to water and nitrogen. Compacted areas reduce water movement and decrease plant growth, leading to a less competitive crop and potentially more weeds. Take a listen to the podcast to learn how to prevent soil compaction and how to deal with it if you do have compacted soils.
