In-row subsoiling has been used in the southern United States as a standard production practice to reduce the ill effects of soil compaction. Much of the subsoiling literature from the southern United States indicates that significant increases in productivity are found when in-row subsoiling is used, with the most success being found on sandier soils. However; the cost of this operation is relatively expensive and significant gains in crop yield must be obtained to pay for the tillage practice. Much can also be done to reduce the cost of the in-row subsoiling operation. A number of research studies are presented that indicate various methods that can be used to reduce the cost of in-row subsoiling, primarily through reductions in energy costs via fuel consumption. These methods include: proper selection of subsoiler shanks, appropriate selection of subsoiler depth, appropriate selection of soil moisture for subsoiling, reducing frequency of subsoiling, controlling vehicle tragic, and consideration of other methods of compaction reduction, including the use of cover crops. The fuel portion of the cost of subsoiling is approximately 25% without energy-saving strategies but can be reduced to approximately 16% of the total cost of subsoiling, which includes labor, fuel, repair and maintenance, and fixed costs. The estimated cost of in-row subsoiling using data from 2005 can be reduced from $33.52 to $29.79/ha which is a savings of $3.73/ha. Use of these methods should allow in-row subsoiling to continue to be a valuable part of conservation agricultural systems.
