Conservation Tillage - Concept, Scope and Advantages

 

       Conservation Tillage

  Lakhan Patidar

           Soil erosion in India is widespread and a serious threat to survival, well-being and Agriculture. It has been estimated that an area of over 80 million hectares or about one-fourth of our total area is exposed to wind and water erosion out of which 40 million hectares of land has undergone serious erosion. Ironically the extent of soil erosion is increasing in spite of our efforts to check soil erosion. Experts have estimated that about 40,000 hectares of our land is permanently lost to cultivation and much larger area is rendered less productive every year due to wind and water erosion.

        Conservation tillage which advocates the maintenance of crop residue cover of 30% on the soil surface is soundly based sustainable agriculture. This system reduces the losses of soil and water a compared to conventional tillage system. Crop residues left over the soil surface reduces soil erosion and conserve soil moisture. Presence of crop residue increased weed suppression and did not result in an increase in herbicide application. The benefits of conservation tillage are reduces machinery wear, Improves soil tilth, Increases organic matter, soil biological diversity and traps soil moisture to improve water availability and water use efficiency.

Tillage is defined as the physical, chemical or biological soil manipulation to optimize condition for germination, seeding and root establishment for batter crop growth. It aims to create a soil environment favorable for the plant growth. Appropriate tillage practices are those that avoid the degradation of soil properties and maintain crop yields as ecosystem stability. Conservation tillage provides the best opportunity for halting degradation and improving for restoring and sol productivity.

In old concept of tillage maximum manipulation of soil creates some major problems like:

·       Soil compaction

·       Change in soil structure

·       More cost of cultivation

·       More soil erosion

 

These drawbacks of conventional tillage can be mitigated by the use of Conservation Tillage Practices. Some of the major advantages of conservation tillage are as follows:

Environmental Benefits:

·       Reduces soil erosion from both water and wind (90% erosion reduction can be expected when using a no-till instead of intensive tillage system).

·       Increases organic matter (each tillage trip oxidizes some organic matter; research shows continuous no-till can increase organic matter in the top 2 inches of soil about 0.1% each year).

·       Improves water quality (when combined with irrigation water management, crop nutrient management, integrated pest management, conservation crop rotation, in integrated system, conservation tillage plays an important role in improving both runoff to streams, rivers, and lakes as well as water that finds its way into aquifers).

·       Improves wildlife habitat (the crop’s residue provides food and shelter. In addition, if combined with other needed habitat, such as grassy cover and woody areas, wildlife may increase significantly).

·       Altering tillage practices changes weed seed depth in the soil, which plays a role in weed species shifts and affects the efficacy of control practices. Ineffective weed control is a major deterrent to the adoption of conservation tillage system, especially no-tillage.

·       Other benefits include reduced soil compaction, utilization of marginal land, some harvesting advantages, and conservation compliance.

Economical Benefits:

·       Yields are good, if not better, than reduced or intensive tillage system when managed properly.

·       Optimizes soil moisture (improved infiltration and increased organic matter are especially important on droughty soils and may help the crop through a persistent dry period. Tillage reduces available moisture).

·       It saves time and efforts of farmers.

·       Reduces fuel consumption (no-till can reduce fuel use by 3.5 gallons/acre compared to intensive tillage).

·       Reduces overall production costs.

·       Reduces machinery wear (less machinery means fewer pieces need to be replaced).

 

In the modern time of Agriculture, where farming is being dependent on Agro-chemicals and fertilizers, we greatly need to adopt such practices which can mitigate the harmful effect of chemicals and fertilizers and maintain good soil health for our next generations.

---