Long-term use of different soil tillage methods affects soil compaction. Conventional tillage with ploughing results in lower soil strength and higher porosity in the topsoil compared to reduced tillage with a cultivator. However, reduced tillage leads to higher soil strength in the topsoil. The pore size distribution differs between the two tillage systems, with conventional tillage having smaller pores in both topsoil and subsoil. Reduced tillage shows larger pores in the subsoil, indicating agglomeration of fine particles. This compaction can negatively impact root growth, leading to more superficial root development.