Using Image Texture Analysis to Evaluate Soil–Compost Mechanical Mixing in Organic Farms

Soil amendments (e.g., compost) require uniform incorporation in the soil profile to benefit plants. However, machines may not mix them uniformly throughout upper layer commonly explored by plant roots. The study focuses on using image texture analysis determine level of mixing uniformity following passage two kinds harrows. A 12.3-megapixel DX-format digital camera acquired images soil/expanded polystyrene (in laboratory) and soil/compost mixtures field conditions). In laboratory, pictures captured before during simulated progressive expanded particles. conditions, exposed superficial horizons compost-amended after a combined spike-tooth–disc harrow disc harrow. Image based gray-level co-occurrence matrix calculated sums dissimilarity, contrast, entropy, metrics. laboratory resulted increased dissimilarity (from 1.15 ± 0.74 × 106 1.65 0.52 106) contrast values 2.69 2.06 5.67 1.93 106), almost constant entropy (3.50 0.25 decreased 6.65 0.31 105 4.49 1.36 105). Using tooth-disc open higher (+73.3%, +62.8%, +16.3%), lower (−50.6%) than harrow, suggesting enhanced layer.