Extension of soil frost control for agricultural application

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K14831
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Agricultural environmental engineering/Agricultural information engineering
• Research Institution: National Agriculture and Food Research Organization
• Principal Investigator: Hirota Tomoyoshi 国立研究開発法人農業・食品産業技術総合研究機構, 北海道農業研究センター 生産環境研究領域, グループ長 (20343949)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 土壌凍結 / 環境制御 / 積雪 / 農業技術

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The soil frost control method to remove snow in rows is a scientifically established to volunteer potatoes in Tokachi, Hokkaido. Here, we made additional experiments to fortify the method with new evidences to extend the range of application. 1) On-farm experiments revealed that the optimum soil frost depth was about 0.3 m which was deep enough to eradicate unharvested potato tubers without hindering other cultural practices and to minimize N pollution from soil exudates. 2) A simple laboratory experiment method was devised to elucidate soil frost conditions using a minimal amount of soil. 3) Snow compaction by enhancing thermal conductivity is an alternative method to snow removal but seemed risky where winter wheat was grown after potato. Our results indicate that soil frost control method for snow compaction may contribute toward balancing both wheat yield and the frost-kill of unharvested potato tubers.

Free Research Field

農業気象