What is the impact of compacted areas on yield maps?

Compacted areas in agricultural fields result in reduced crop performance primarily due to the negative effects on soil structure and aeration. When soil becomes compacted, it leads to decreased pore space which affects root growth and limits the availability of water and nutrients to the plants. As a consequence, crops growing in compacted soil may exhibit stunted growth and lower yields, leading to variations in yield maps that clearly display these areas as regions of underperformance.

Yield maps, which visually represent the productivity of different sections of a field, will typically show lower yields in compacted areas, thus highlighting the detrimental impact of soil compaction on crop output. Understanding these patterns can help farmers identify specific problem areas that may require management interventions such as tillage or soil amendment practices to improve soil health and crop performance.