Comparing Horizontal and Vertical Soil Resistance in No-Till and Tilled Fields Following Multiple Tractor Passes

Despite various technical measures, the soil is negatively affected by the passage of agricultural machinery. This study presents soil resistance measured by a horizontal on-the-go soil resistance force sensor and a vertical penetrologger on a medium-plasticity clay loam (41% particles < 0.01 mm, organic matter 5.43%) in Krakovany village (Western Slovakia). The field has been managed using a no-till system since 2013, with no seedbed preparation performed since 2017. In-track data after multiple passes of a tractor were compared with out-track data. The results indicate that the most significant increase in horizontal soil resistance force occurred after the first pass, with each subsequent increase being smaller than the previous one. The no-till field showed the smallest percentage increase in soil resistance force after one tractor pass compared to conventionally tilled fields previously studied using the same methodology in the same soil region. Out-track SRF reached values similar to those of the conventionally tilled field after harvest. Vertical penetration resistance showed the lowest increase at depths of 9 to 25 cm in the no-till field compared to tilled fields. The highest values were observed at a depth of 9 cm, whereas at 25 cm, the values approached their minimum in comparison with tilled fields. These findings suggest that long-term no-till management may contribute to reducing machinery-induced soil compaction compared to conventional tillage.