What effect does tilling the soil have on its structure?

• A. Destroys soil structure
• B. Improves soil structure
• C. No effect on soil structure
• D. Increases soil nutrient content

Answer: (A)

Tilling disrupts how soil particles cling together into aggregates and how pore spaces are arranged. The soil’s structure is the way those particles form clumps (aggregates) and the networks of air and water those clumps create. When you till, you mechanically break apart those aggregates and crush stable clumps, which loosens the surface temporarily but destroys the existing structure that holds pore spaces together. This makes the soil more prone to crusting, erosion, and later compaction, and it can reduce the stability of aggregates over time as organic matter is mixed and exposed to weather and microbes.

So, while tillage can momentarily loosen compacted soil, its overall effect on structure is destructive in the long run, which is why that option is the best choice. The other effects listed aren’t accurate: tilling doesn’t actually increase nutrient content, and while it may briefly loosen soil, it does not improve long-term structure or have no effect.