Fixed shanks in the seeder and cover crops improve soil properties and soybean yield in no-tillage system subjected to heavy traffic

Machine traffic creates spatial variability in soil compaction across agricultural fields, challenging soil management and crop production. The combined effects of cover crops and fixed shanks remain underexplored in subtropical clayey soils to minimize soil compaction. This study aimed to assess the effects of fixed shanks and double disk in the seeder and cover crops on soil physical and chemical properties and soybean yield under different traffic intensities. The experiment was conducted using a split-plot design. Each traffic intensity was managed as an independent area, with subplots established within each to evaluate the combination of furrow opening mechanisms and cover crop treatments. The results showed that fixed shanks increased soil macroporosity by 36 % compared to double disk. The phosphorus level in the 0.10–0.20 m layer was 187 % higher with fixed shanks compared with double disk across all traffic intensity. Soybean yield was 12 % higher in areas subjected to moderate traffic than those with heavy traffic, highlighting the impact of traffic intensity on crop performance. Cover crops reduced soil penetration resistance in the surface layers in all traffic areas and increased soybean yield after two years of cultivation in heavy traffic areas. Fixed shanks improve soybean yield across all traffic regions. These findings demonstrate that heavy traffic reduces soybean yield, while fixed shanks enhances soil physical and chemical properties, improving productivity in no-tillage system. This integrated management approach effectively mitigates the negative impacts of soil compaction, promoting sustainable crop production in traffic-affected areas.