Assessing soil cracks’ dynamics in relation to mucilage application and soil hydraulic properties under different soil management practices in Wallonia Belgium, using image analysis

Soil cracking is a common phenomenon dominating the agricultural field. Several observers affirmed that this phenomenon can have positive or negative impacts on the soil hydrodynamic including water retention, soil water permeability, and soil desiccation which in turn adversely affect the crop productivity. However, the mechanisms of soil cracking remain unclear and its effect on soil water characteristics is hard to measure and quantify. This is due to the fact that a deep understanding requires both knowledge of crack analysis (image analysis) and soil hydrology. The study is more complex a... Mehr ...