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.
Conventional tillage involves intensive soil disturbance through plowing, while conservation tillage aims to minimize soil disturbance and maintain soil structure. Conservation tillage practices, such as no-till or reduced tillage, help to reduce erosion, conserve soil moisture, and improve soil health compared to conventional tillage methods.
Conservation tillage is the method of soil conservation that relies on minimizing the use of plowing. It involves leaving crop residues on the soil surface to reduce erosion, improve soil health, and enhance water retention. By reducing the intensity of tillage, conservation tillage helps to maintain soil structure and organic matter content in the soil.
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
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
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David B Beasley has written: 'Tri-state tillage project' -- subject(s): Conservation tillage
Continuous no-till, reduced tillage, sustainable agriculture practices.
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
Conservation tillage practices lead to agricultural sustainability by reducing soil erosion, improving soil health, and enhancing water conservation. By disturbing the soil less, conservation tillage helps to maintain soil structure and biodiversity, leading to higher crop productivity and reduced reliance on external inputs like fertilizers and pesticides. Overall, these practices contribute to long-term sustainability by promoting more efficient and environmentally friendly farming systems.