EFFECTS OF SOIL COMPACTION ON PLANT NUTRITION UPTAKE AND GROWTH OF PEAS AND BARLEY ON A SANDY LOAM

Dry matter yield and nutrient concentration of peas and barley were st udied in a field experiment on a sandy loam at five levels of compacti on. In most cases, yield and uptake of N, P and K were significantly r educed only in the most compacted treatment both for peas and barley. In barley, yield was strongly correlated to concentration of phosphoro us in the plants but not to nitrogen. In peas there was a correlation also for the concentration of nitrogen, probably reflecting the differ ences in nitrogen supply between the two plant species.