Agriculture future is under pressure. Big corporations are forcing small family farms out of business, consumers want to know if their food is organic and free of chemicals, we’re running out of arable land and water to grow food on, and a rapidly growing population will need more.
Does conservation tillage hold the key to agriculture’s future? Continue reading to learn about it.
What Does Conservation Tillage Mean?
Conservation tillage is a crop production system that uses limited tillage to control weeds, conserve soil moisture and nutrients, maintain or improve soil structure and fertility, and protect the environment. Conservation tillage systems leave plant residue (stems, stalks, leaves) on the soil surface throughout the growing season.
How Does Conservation Tilling Work?
Conservation tillage methods include no-tillage, strip-tillage, ridge-tillage, and mulch-tillage.
- Strip-tillage
Strip-till is a method of preparing a Agriculture field for planting by tilling only one section. Farmers can get their fields ready for planting with less labor and machinery necessary for no-till method, without removing too much crop residue that helps prevent runoff. When the soil is heavy, like clay or silt loam, strip-till is more effective than no-till. Before planting, the soil is loosened up and warmed by the strip-till bar, resulting in faster plant growth and increased crop yields for various crops.
- Mulch-tillage
Like the no-till method, this conservation tillage practice entails leaving a third to half of the soil unworked. Residue management is another name for mulch-till. NRCS reports that the mulch-till method is superior to conventional tilling Agriculture systems because it allows farmers to control the amount, orientation, and distribution of crop and other plant residues on the soil surface throughout the year without resorting to as many soil-disturbing practices.
The mulch-till method offers a wide variety of advantages to its users. It reduces soil erosion and fossil fuel emissions, adds more organic matter to the soil, and saves water by reducing soil surface evaporation.
- No-tillage
With no-till, you plant seeds right in the Agriculture ground without stirring them up first. This necessitates farmers to grow crops in fields containing crop residue from the previous season.
For no-till farming, you don’t have to do any tilling. The farmer uses special tools to plant Agriculture seeds right into the soil without first disturbing it. Since the farmer won’t need to spend time or money preparing the land for seed sowing each year, they can save both in the long run by using this system.
- Ridge-tillage
Ridge-till is a method for creating ridges along the length of a ground where seeds are planted by using a unique tool to cut the soil in precise rows. Rowed crops are planted in the ridges left by the produce from the year before. The soil is only turned over between the rows.
Ways Conservation Tillage Practices Benefit Agriculture
The following is a list of the many ways that implementing conservation tillage practices can profit the soil:
- Slowed Down Erosion
The primary advantage of conservation tillage is that it helps prevent soil erosion by maintaining a layer of plant residue over the soil throughout the growing season. This cuts down on runoff, stopping sediments and chemicals from entering our waterways.
- Better Health of The Soil
Conservation tillage practices are also good for the soil because they enhance the health of the soil. This is because the soil can breathe better thanks to the conservation tillage system’s reduced compaction, promoting greater water infiltration, enhanced microbial activity, more efficient nutrient cycling, and increased earthworm activity. Also, crop residue left atop the soil after harvesting may boost the amount of organic matter in the ground.
Moreover, by giving small animals cover, conservation tillage practices also enhance wildlife habitats.
- Better Ways to Save Water
Keeping the soil full of organic matter is suitable for its structure and makes it better to hold water and nutrients. The billions of soil microorganisms that call a handful of the ground home also depend on the organic matter in the soil for sustenance. After harvest, the residue helps retain topsoil moisture, essential for plant growth. This can help when it’s dry, particularly during a drought year, and it can also help keep weeds away from crops.
- Better Quality Air
Conservation tilling also helps clean up the air by making fields less dusty. Pesticides, nutrients from fertilizers like nitrogen and phosphorus that can end up in waterways, lead from automobile exhausts, and other dangerous particles are all found in dust. Farmers who switch to conservation tillage techniques help prevent these pollutants from entering our air supply.
Challenges of Conservation Tillage
The main concern with conservation tillage is that it may impact plant growth or yield due to increased disease pressure or insect pressure from pests such as rootworms (Diabrotica spp.) or armyworms (Pseudaletia unipuncta). However, research has shown that many crops can tolerate conservation tillage practices without significantly impacting yield or quality if done correctly.
Conclusion
Gone are the days of reliance on monoculture and bare field cultivation. An agricultural revolution is upon us, and conservation tillage is at the heart of this change. One of the key trends we’re seeing is a focus on efficiency. As more U.S. farmers adopt conservation tillage, we see a shift in how modern farming is done in our country.
