How Tyre Pressure is directly related to Soil Compaction + Crop Yields
Soil compaction can reduce plant growth, root penetration into the soil and root size. Soil becomes compressed (compacted) through agricultural practices, cultivation, and wheeled traffic. It restricts water and air distribution in the soil. This can result in a lack of water and nutrient distribution and can cause slow seed emergence and diminished crop yields.
Tyre Pressures also play a key role in prevention of soil compaction, and this is where our LSM TyreGuard® AG360 Tyre Monitoring System technology has been specifically designed for Agricultural (low tyre pressures) equipment to assist growers by contributing to maximum crop yields.
For soil to be healthy, soil particles and pore spaces should be close to 50/50%. When pore spacing is decreased, air and moisture are driven out of the soil, the soil density increases.
Deep soil compaction is of greater concern than near surface compaction. Soil compaction can be managed and minimised. Prevention of compaction is better than trying to repair it and once compacted, it can take years to undo the damage.
Research has shown that 70%-80% of compaction is done in the first pass. Compaction can vary depending on the soil type, soil moisture, tyre size, air pressures, and total loads. With conventional tillage, research has estimated that 90% of a field can be tracked on during the year.
Some of this area can receive as many as 4 or 5 passes a year. By cutting down on the traffic in a field, compaction can be managed, and the subsoil allowed to regenerate.
Agriculturalists have long studied the impact tyre inflation has on crop yields. Over-inflated tyres cause soil compaction, which limits the nutrients and water that roots can absorb. It also hinders essential microbial life development and encourages water stagnation.
Over-inflated tyres also create higher resistance, forcing growers to spend more labour and fuel in every season. Further, farmers will see uneven tread wear, shortening the lives of their tyres.
Growers who err on the side of under-inflation will similarly see decreased tyre life.
Fortunately, maintaining proper tyre inflation can oppose these effects in every way. Properly inflated tyres reduce soil compaction, improve traction and increase fuel economy.
Proper inflation also lengthens tyre life and increases workers comfort as they operate machinery- and, of course, they increase crop yields every time.
Correct tyre pressures are also critical for Travelling Irrigators and especially for Lateral - moves and Centre-Pivots to provide smooth operation, alignment and avoid over - loading of drive motors.
To get the biggest yield possible, growers need to check their tyre pressure often. But doing so can be time-consuming, compromising efficiency while in the field.
LSM TyreGuard® AG360 TMSystem to continuously monitors air pressure with valve-stem-mounted tyre pressure sensors. At any time, operators can see the current tyre pressure for each tyre at the press of a button, and they only need to check / target those tyre that need re-pressurisation- saving labour / time.
The LSM TyreGuard® In-Cab LCD Display provides the Operator / Driver with live Tyre Pressure and Temperature information and the audio + visual alarms so as they may make immediate corrective action.
LSM Technologies provides a complete array of its LSM TyreGuard® TMSystems that will suit all of a Growers vehicles from the Light Vehicles, Tractors, Harvesters, Rigid Trucks, Semitrailers- anything with a pneumatic tyre.
With LSM Technologies FSM® Fleet Safety Tracking Manager, a live online data portal means we can see information about every single tyre, at any given time, all from the one location remotely.
Another LSM Life- Saving- Mitigation control, enhancing Workplace OH&S + Equipment Damage Control + Productivity.
(We thank AgriTalk magazine for images and adapted article)
LSM TyreGuard AG360 TMSystem
