Editing Soil structure (section)

==Improvement==
The benefits of improving soil structure for the growth of plants, particularly in an agricultural setting, include: reduced [[erosion]] due to greater soil aggregate strength and decreased overland flow; improved [[root penetration]] and access to [[soil moisture]] and nutrients; improved emergence of seedlings due to reduced crusting of the surface; and greater water infiltration, [[water retention curve|retention]] and availability due to improved porosity.

[[Agricultural productivity|Productivity]] from irrigated [[no-till farming|no-tillage]] or minimum tillage soil management in [[horticulture]] usually decreases over time due to degradation of the soil structure, inhibiting root growth and water retention. There are a few exceptions, why such exceptional fields retain structure is unknown, but it is associated with high organic matter. Improving soil structure in such settings can increase yields significantly.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Cockroft |first1=B. |last2=Olsson |first2=K.A. |date=2000 |title=Degradation of soil structure due to coalescence of aggregates in no-till, no-traffic beds in irrigated crops |journal=Australian Journal of Soil Research |volume=38  |issue=1 |pages=61–70 |doi=10.1071/SR99079 }}</ref> The NSW Department of Land and Water Conservation suggests that in cropping systems, wheat yields can be increased by 10&nbsp;kg/ha for every extra millimetre of rain that is able to infiltrate due to soil structure.<ref name=NSW1991>Department of Land and Water Conservation 1991, [http://www.naturalresources.nsw.gov.au/care/soil/soil_pubs/index.html "Field indicators of soil structure decline"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070914042431/http://www.naturalresources.nsw.gov.au/care/soil/soil_pubs/index.html |date=2007-09-14 }}, viewed May 2007</ref>