Question

A farmer preparing his field for direct-seeded rice observes that after a heavy rain, water tends to stand on the surface for a long time before slowly draining away, and when he digs a small pit, he notices a hard, compacted layer just below the topsoil that restricts root growth and downward water movement. Which term best describes this compacted subsurface layer, often formed by repeated ploughing at the same depth over many years?

Q: Answer-A farmer preparing his field for direct-seeded rice observes that after a heavy rain, water tends to...

A hardpan, or plough an, is a compacted subsurface soil layer formed by repeated ploughing at the same depth over many years, which restricts root penetration and downward water movement, often leading to surface waterlogging after heavy rainfall, and can generally be broken up through deep ploughing or subsoiling.