MITIGATION OF SOIL COMPACTION IN SUGARBEET HARVESTING AND SLURRY APPLICATION BY INCREASING TIRE PRINT AND COVER CROPPING

The paper aimed to present results of two field experiments, where the effect of increased contact area between soil and tire (tire print) and the effect of cover crop on soil compaction was analysed in the Eastern part of Austria. One field experiment investigated the effect of chassis in a six- row sugarbeet harvester (two-axle, three-axle) and soil condition (wet, dry). The second experiment analysed the effect of tire inflation pressure in a slurry tanker (high: 300 kPa, low: 100 kPa) and field coverage (with and without covercrop) on track depth and soil penetration resistance. The results showed, that dry soil conditions in sugarbeet harvesting do not affect the soil penetration resistance and the bulk density negatively. The increase of the tire print area in a three-axle chassis reduced the risk of soil compaction. Lowering of the tire inflation pressure in the slurry tanker increased the tire print and reduced tire track depth in the field and soil penetration resistance. Cover crops created deeper track depths after traffic, which is explained by the loosening of cover crop roots.