Soil frost control: agricultural adaptation to climate variability in a cold region of Japan

摘要: In the northernmost region of Japan (Hokkaido Island), earlier onsets thick snowcover in recent years (post 1980) have reduced penetration depth soil frost, resulting over-winter survival unharvested small potato (Solanum tuberosum) tubers that emerge as weeds spring rotation crop fields. To prevent occurrence weeds, a method was developed to manipulate soil-frost depths by artificially controlling thickness, guided simple numerical model simulates freezing-thawing processes using daily mean air temperature and thinckness input variables. The involves removal expose surface beginning winter until freezes sufficient depth. After time, snow is deposited back or allowed accumulate naturally further which may cause undesirable delay seeding crops. Field trials indicated predicted frost within several centimeters observed values, when measured thickness were used input. Based on field laboratory data, −3°C necessary for complete elimination tubers. achieve this potato-burial zones without causing excessive freezing, an optimal 0.3 0.4 m. being adopted progressive producers region, who use tractor-mounted ploughs over large scale. This emerging new technology agricultural adaptation climate variability.