Southern IA | robmgrig - 3/3/2024 20:08
A fragipan is different from a plow pan or compaction. Fragipans were formed by a chemical reaction when glaciers retreated. Any mechanical disturbance of fragipans is very temporary at best as the soil will seize right back up unless that chemical bond is broken. Ryegrass has a root exudate that breaks that bond over time. There are very few plant species that share that property also.
will the chemical bond only be broken with the ryegrass root exudates present? If you grow ryegrass cover for 5 or 10 years and then quit, will the chemical bond rebuild the fragipan again, and how many years will it take to be back to the original fragipan? |