Conventional and Conservation tillage

Definition ,history, objective and kinds of tillage ,conventional and conservation tillage and their advantage and disadvantage

1. Define soil tilth. How is inter tillage important in crop growth and development (2075)

2.Conservation tillage is one of the components for sustainable agriculture. Justify (2075)

3.Briefly discuss the types of tillage (2072)

4.Discuss conventional and conservation tillage along with their relative advantage and disadvantage.(2071)

5.Differentiate between zero and minimum tillage. . Explain the advantage of conservational tillage over conventional tillage.(2071)

ANSWERS

1) Define soil tilth. How is inter tillage important in crop growth and development (2075)

Loose and friable soil with good moisture holding capacity and aeration, that can provide optimum condition for seed germination and plant growth is soil tilth.

Tilth is refers to the physical condition of soil characterized by easy to tillage, fit seedbet, and better seedling emergence and easy root penetration by plants.

Inter tillage refers to the tilage operation that is done in the field after sowing or planting and prior to the harvesting of the crop plant. This is also known as inter cultivation or post seeding or planting cultivation. It includes cultivation, harrowing, hoeing, weeding, earthing up , ridging and furrowing. It is shallower in nature.

Inter tillage is a very important operation for plant growth and development because of the following reasons.

1) This tillage operation helps to remove weed that comes out of different depth and having different root system from the field for a significant amount of time. It kills the germinated and emerging weed. It reduces the weed competition and supports plant growth.

2) It helps to incorporate the top dressed manures and fertilizer.

3) It helps to earth up the plants, prune the roots and prevent the lodging of the plants.

4) Favours puddling and helps in tillering of rice.

2.Conservation tillage is one of the components for sustainable agriculture. Justify (2075)

Conservation tillage is defined as a practice that reduces number of tillage operation, where disruption of soil aggregate is prevented as much as possible, and a minimum of 30% residue covered soil, with the aim to minimize soil erosion.

This type of tillage is one of the important component of sustainable agriculture and an integral part of sustainable soil management practices. Sustainable agriculture can be achieved by enhancing or at least maintaining the quality and quantity of ecological bases of agriculture i.e. soil, water and air. Conservational agriculture, being a part of sustainable soil management, helps to improve overall soil health, have positive impact on environment and is economically beneficial to farmers as well.

some of the benefit of conservational tillage that clearly justifies it being an integral component of sustainable agriculture has been mentioned below:

a) Retaining crop residue on the soil surface throughout the year can provide a canopy that reduces wind and water erosion, runoff, or particulate and nutrient loss, leading to benefits for water and air quality.

b) Tillage decrease can improve soil aggregation, biological activity, water retention capacity, and infiltration rates. As a result, the available soil moisture increases, the soil tilth improves, and the organic matter content rises.

c) Adaptation of conservational agriculture also has leads to a decrease in carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions

d) Reducing the number of times machinery goes over a field minimizes labor and saves time, as well as limiting machinery wear and conserving fuel. It also reduces the soil compaction which has become a major problem in the present agricultural context.

All the above mentioned points clearly indicate how adaptation of conservational agriculture results in a decrease in CO2 and greenhouse emission emissions, less reliance on farm machinery and equipment, and an overall reduction in fuel and labor costs. Furthermore, conservation tillage practices have been demonstrated to improve soil health, reduce runoff, and limit abrasion. A well-developed and well integrated conservation tillage method can help to the sustainability of an agricultural system by providing a variety of potential environmental and economic benefits.

3) Discuss briefly about the types of tillage ( 2072)

Tillage refers to the physical or the mechanical manipulation of the soil with the helps of tools or implements so as to create favorable condition for crop germination, growth and development

Types of tillage has been mentioned below.

1) Conventional tillage or traditional tillage.

It involves primary and secondary tillage operation that are carried out while preparing seed bed.

Advantage of conventional tillage

All the weeds of the fields are effectively controlled.
due to the removal of the weeds and incorporation of the crop residue , insects- pest , pathogen are effectively controlled.
due to increase in the aeration, microbial activities are very high.

Disadvantage

more energy and time requirement process
greater loss of soil moisture
formation of the hard pan
surface soil is more prone to soil erosion
high rate of organic matter decomposition and its depletion.

Conservational tillage are of following types.

a) Minimum tillage

It is aimed at reducing the tillage to minimum necessary. Different methods of minimum tillage practiced are (i)row zone tillage, (ii)plant plough tillage and (iii)wheel track planting.

b) zero or no till tillage

It is the acute sort of the minimum tillage during which primary tillage is totally avoided and secondary tillage is restricted to the seedbed preparation within the row zone only. it's the location of the seed within the field with none soil preparation. Seeding and nutrient placement is completed at an equivalent time.

Advantage of minimum and no tillage

effective conservation of soil moisture
Better soil structure and mulching reduces the risk of soil erosion
No chance of soil compaction due to the movement of heavy machineries
Improvement of the soil structure and organic matter content of the soil.
less energy and time requiring process.

disadvantage of minimum and zero tillage

Seed germination rate is low
Slow decomposition of organic matter so more fertilizers applied.
Timeliness control of the weed is very critical.
dependency on the herbicide and pesticide increases
Effectiveness of the method depends on the knowledge and experience of their use.
Continuous use of herbicide can cause pollution problem and dominance of perrenial problematic weed.
sowing operation is difficult with ordinary equipment
infestation of the pest, insects and pathogen due to crop residue left on the field.

3) stubble mulch tillage.

Stubble mulch tillage or stubble mulch farming a new approach developed for keeping soil protected at all times whether by growing a mulch crop during fallow period or by crop residues left on the surface and spread during tillage operation. It system where plant residue can be managed year-round with benefits like loosen soil, weeds killed and problem of managing residue solved. Main objective is to reduce soil erosion.

Advantage

reduced loss of soil and moisture
improved organic matter content

disadvantage

less effective weed control
stubbles interfere with plant growth.

4.Discuss conventional and conservation tillage along with their relative advantage and disadvantage.(2071)

Conventional tillage is a type of tillage operation in which complete top soil i.e 100% is inverted or disturbed or mixed. It involves primary and secondary tillage operation that are carried out while preparing seed bed. No living plant including the crop residue, standing plant and weeds is left intact or standing in the field in this tillage operation.

Advantage of conventional tillage

All the weeds of the fields are effectively controlled.
insects- pest, pathogen are effectively controlled.
Microbial activities increases due to increased aeration.

disadvantages

more energy and time requirement process
greater loss of soil moisture
formation of the hard pan
surface soil is more prone to soil erosion
high rate of organic matter decomposition and its depletion.

Conservational tillage may be

Advantage of conservational tillage.

effective conservation of soil moisture
reduction in the soil erosion due to the mulching of the crop residue and better soil structure.
Less soil compaction by the reduced movement of heavy tillage vehicles and less soil erosion compared to conventional tillage.
improvement of the soil structure and organic matter content of the soil.
less energy and time requiring process.
under conservation tillage, soils store much more carbon than under conventional till, and may actually be net sinks for CO2 rather than sources of it.

disadvantage of conservational tillage

Seed germination rate is low
More fertilizer has to be added due to slow decomposition of organic matter.
Timeliness control of the weed is very critical.
high dependency on the herbicide and pesticide application and the knowledge and experience of their use.
continuous use of herbicide can cause pollution problem and dominance of perrenial problematic weed.
sowing operation is difficult with ordinary equipment.
infestation of the pest, insects and pathogen due to crop residue left on the field.

5) Difference between zero and minimum tillage. Explain the advantage of conservational tillage over conventional tillage.

Zero tillage	Minimum tillage
1) Tillage operation are practiced to an extent such as to place the seed at proper depth.	1) No tillage operation is carried out , only a narrow slot is made for placing seed and fertilizer at the same time.
2) Primary and secondary tillage are minimum to maximum.	2) primary tillage is completely avoided and secondary tillage is restricted to seed bed preparation only.

Conservational tillage is better than conventional tillage in terms of following topics.

Input economics	Soil quality	Environment
-fuel conservation	- improved soil structure	- reduced soil erosion
-Time saving and flexibility	- improved aeration and water infiltration	- less irrigation requirement
longer machine life	low compaction of the soil	lower net co₂ emission
	improved nutrient dynamics
	soil water conservation
	improved nutrient dynamic and nitrogen content
	stabilized soil temperature more earthworm and soil fauna

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