Agrogeophysical Approach to Estimate Soil A Horizon Thickness in a Long-Term Dryland Cropping Experiment in South America

Abstract

Agricultural systems are under growing pressure, as soil degradation threatens food security and sustainable land use. Early detection through soil monitoring and precision agriculture is vital to prevent irreversible damage and enable timely conservation. This study evaluates a combined procedure based on electrical resistivity tomography and frequency-domain electromagnetic induction measurements, together with discrete soil sampling, to electrically characterize the soil, identify layers, and map the A horizon depth in a non-disturbing way. This work includes the design and implementation of a mounting electrode system, which reduces the installation time of electrical resistivity tomography surveys by 60% while maintaining data quality. The data were acquired in the oldest long-term agronomic experiment in South America, comprising seven rotation systems with three replicates each, totaling 21 rainfed plots, and representing contrasting management scenarios. Soil A horizon thickness maps of the entire experiment were obtained through two procedures. A comparison between mapping inputs, including all plots and only bare-soil plots, revealed minimal differences in unvegetated areas but notable discrepancies under plant cover, where vegetation increased fluctuations and noise. The present study provides a methodology for accurately assessing the spatial variability of the A horizon thickness by means of proximal sensing techniques. This contributes to the challenge of gathering fundamental soil information in a fast and cost-effective manner, critical for precision agricultura.