Research on in-situ measurement of soil-fixation capability of corn roots

Abstract

Experiments in-situ measuring the stabilization capability of soil by corn roots (10 cm and 20 cm) and bare soil square with anchor-shank tension meter and self-designed shear box were conducted. The results indicated that when an equally load was applied, the displacement of bare soil was higher that that of corn square in two depths, the displacment was the lowest in 20 cm depth. The higher the root took in the soil square, the more load which made soil square separate from bulk soil was required. The bending point-F2 and plastic deformation point-F3 of soil square with corn in 10 cm were 2.7 kN and 2.9 kN, respectively; those of soil square in 20. cm were 3.6 kN and 3.61kN; those in bare soil square in 10 cm depth were 2.3 kN and 2.5 kN; those of bare soil square in 20 cm depth were 3.1 kN and 3.4 kN. It is proposed that that is an appropriate method in fix-quantify measure corn root soil-fixation capability in the agriculture soil and water conservation.