- Soil compaction is a growing problem for agriculture.
- Heavy vehicles and farm machines compress the soil strongly.
- In many places drought from climate change makes it worse.
- Plants can thicken their roots when the soil gets hard.
- The plant hormone ethylene plays a role in this.
- Roots swell and they reinforce their outer layer.
- Increasing one protein helps roots push into compact soil.
- Scientists found these results using experiments in rice.
Difficult words
- compaction — soil becoming hard and dense
- compress — push together with strong force
- drought — long time with little or no rain
- ethylene — a plant gas that changes growth
- reinforce — make stronger or support outside part
- protein — a molecule in cells that helps work
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Have you seen hard soil near your home?
- Does your family grow plants or crops?
- Do you eat rice?
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