Soil suitability for arable farming

The arable farming suitability card was created by Alterra Wageningen. The suitability of parcels for arable farming is determined by a combination of soil properties and groundwater levels. Important soil properties are the machinability, rideability, chemical soil fertility, rootability and moisture supply. In case of too high groundwater levels in spring, the soil is too wet to perform spring work, such as fertilising, sowing and sowing. Too wet conditions slow down the spring growth of the crop. In autumn, high groundwater levels can make harvesting of arable crops more difficult. In periods of low precipitation, the moisture supply in the soil must be sufficient to provide the plant with sufficient moisture. In the event of a deficit, growth slows down and the suitability card is based in particular on reduced yields due to moisture shortages and flooding.