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A farmer stands in his flooded maize field with rubber boots.
Cristie Preston, Ph.D.

A: The main issue is called sidewall compaction. Sidewall compaction is soil that is compacted and smeared in and around the sides of the seed furrow. Since there is no way to alleviate sidewall compaction after it occurs, yield is reduced due to limited root growth through the compacted sidewalls and the subsequent decreased nutrient acquisition. Not only can sidewall compaction occur when planting too wet, but also if planting too shallow and having too much down pressure on closing wheels. Check out this article from Michigan State on Preventing sidewall compaction in field crops.

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