They protect crops from insect damage, reducing the need for pesticides.
conservation tillage
With conventional tillage (complete turning over of the soil), the bare soil is exposed to the erosive action of water, which, in many areas is the major route of soil loss. Under conservation tillage, the crop residue buffers the raindrops' energy, so water has less erosive force when it reaches the soil. This protection by residue, along with the rougher surface provided by the residue facilitates infiltration and decreases runoff -- runoff that carries soil and nutrients with it. In addition, macropores, which are the major route for water movement through soil, get disrupted in the surface 15-20 cm of soil by conventional tillage, but remain intact under conservation tillage. Improved macropore development also enhances water infiltration and decreases water runoff. Conservation tillage thus can also conserve water and fertilizers. http://people.oregonstate.edu/~muirp/constill.htm
If the summer fallow practice left the soil bare of any plant materials or residue, the soil was left exposed to potential erosion. Modern conservation tillage practices have greatly reduced this possibility.
Techniques for improved soil conservation include crop rotation, cover crops, conservation tillage and planted windbreaks, affect both erosion and fertility.
Summer fallow is cropland that is purposely kept out of production during a regular growing season. If the summer fallow practice left the soil bare of any plant materials or residue, the soil was left exposed to potential erosion. Modern conservation tillage practices have greatly reduced this possibility. See the related link below.
Horst Vogel has written: 'Conservation tillage in Zimbabwe' -- subject(s): Cropping systems, Agricultural conservation, Sustainable agriculture, Small farmers, Conservation tillage 'Bodenerosion im Terrassenfeldbau' -- subject(s): Soil erosion, Terracing
conservation tillage
Conservation Tillage and Wind breaks
Charles R Fenster has written: 'Conservation tillage for wheat in the Great Plains' -- subject(s): Conservation of natural resources, Wheat, Tillage
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Conservation tillage systems leave at least 30 percent crop residue after planting and minimize water runoff and soil. The practices can stave soil erosion by as much as 90 percent.
David B Beasley has written: 'Tri-state tillage project' -- subject(s): Conservation tillage
Hanspeter Liniger has written: 'The influence of cultivation on the soil moisture regime' -- subject(s): Soil moisture, Tillage 'Approach and constraints for the implementation of water conservation in the Laikipia highlands' -- subject(s): Congresses, Dry farming, Conservation tillage, Mulching, Water conservation, Agroforestry
With conventional tillage (complete turning over of the soil), the bare soil is exposed to the erosive action of water, which, in many areas is the major route of soil loss. Under conservation tillage, the crop residue buffers the raindrops' energy, so water has less erosive force when it reaches the soil. This protection by residue, along with the rougher surface provided by the residue facilitates infiltration and decreases runoff -- runoff that carries soil and nutrients with it. In addition, macropores, which are the major route for water movement through soil, get disrupted in the surface 15-20 cm of soil by conventional tillage, but remain intact under conservation tillage. Improved macropore development also enhances water infiltration and decreases water runoff. Conservation tillage thus can also conserve water and fertilizers. http://people.oregonstate.edu/~muirp/constill.htm
Dana Hoag has written: '1984 costs of alternative tillage systems in the winter wheat-dry pea area of the Palouse region of Washington and Idaho' -- subject(s): Cost effectiveness, Dry farming, Conservation tillage, No-tillage
If the summer fallow practice left the soil bare of any plant materials or residue, the soil was left exposed to potential erosion. Modern conservation tillage practices have greatly reduced this possibility.
Techniques for improved soil conservation include crop rotation, cover crops, conservation tillage and planted windbreaks, affect both erosion and fertility.