The field of agriculture is defined by economic profitability; however, the domain of environmental and social security is by no means exclusive of it. Unlike earlier times, meeting the demands of the growing population is no longer defined by over-exploitation of natural resources to the extent that there is nothing left for the future generations. Contrary to the traditional farming methods, sustainable agricultural practices encourage preservation of natural resources, reduced environmental impact, biodiversity conservation, and food security along with a healthy environment for animals and wholesome products for consumers.

Encompassed by various methods and practices, agricultural farming is immensely characterized by tilling, a practice that loosens, aerates and prepares the soil for planting of seeds and ensuring its healthy growth. It not only improves the soil structure and provides the seedling with an ideal temperature but also maintains the soil beds and gets rid of pests.

There are mainly two types of tillage:

Conventional Tillage

Disturbing the soil surface and subsurface layers, conventional tillage is a method known to bury most of the crop residue into the soil. Using vigorous ploughing with the help of a mould board, plough and harrow, this technique includes primary tillage, secondary tillage and intensive tillage, making the line of operations more refined and structured.

It has a bunch of advantages such as:

1. Aeration of the soil: By loosening the compacted soil structure, pores are created that allow essential nutrients to reach the plant roots and get distributed evenly; leading to better water absorption and less possibility of nutrient loss.
2. Disrupts weeds and pests: Weeds fight with plants for nutrients and pests destroy the lifespan of crops and reduce the comprehensive yield. However, when the soil is tilled, disturbed and turned over, it shatters the survival chances of pests and weeds way before they can dominate the growing crops.
3. Improved soil composition: Many farmers till their soil in fall by incorporating organic matter from the dying plants of the previous agricultural season. Using these organic amendments improves the nutrient content in the soil and with an enhanced seed-soil contact, the healthy growth of the plant is inevitable.

Some of its disadvantages include:

1. Collapse of the soil structure: Frequent tillage leads to drying of the soil, creating a hardpan that cuts off the water and nutrient supply to the crop, prevents root elongation, interrupts the healthy development of the crop and ultimately damages the soil quality.
2. The problem of soil erosion: Disturbing the soil may lead to finer particles that are more vulnerable to be taken away by extreme weather conditions. This might lead to a complete damage of the topsoil, organic matter and essential nutrients present in it, leading to infertility.
3. Halting of microbial activity: Recurring tillage on a land might lead to the exposure of various beneficial microorganisms to the sun, ultimately resulting in its loss.
4. Time, cost and energy investment: Tilling the soil requires a huge amount of physical labor in addition to high-cost investment in the form of tools and equipment.

Conservation Tillage

Taking a step towards sustainable agriculture, conservation tillage is a planting system that encourages increased farm productivity all while thinking of the environment security and soil health. As an embodiment of intelligent farming, this approach aims to cover at least 30 percent (or more) of the soil surface with cover crops or crop residue from the previous harvest, before and after planting of the new crop. This ensures less runoff in addition to soil restoration and erosion control; making farming precise, efficient and fruitful for the farmer.

Conservation tillage has a bag full of advantages such as:

1. Better soil health: With reduced mechanized interference and protection by plant residue, the loss of the fertile topsoil due to wind and water can easily be prevented. As the soil becomes resistant to run off, it guarantees sufficient nutrient content in the soil, moisture retention and penetration, increased soil productivity, enhanced soil aggregation, facilitating a broad root network, minimal compaction and lowered soil erosion.
   
2. Retained biological activity: With reduced soil disturbance, the danger to beneficial micro organisms present in the soil is lessened. These soil organisms are an essential part of the food web and their destruction would only mean the destruction of soil’s biological and physical properties.
   
3. Increased organic matter: When crop residues are left on the field for a long time, they decompose into organic matter, half of which is made up of carbon. This organic matter improves the biological and chemical properties of the soil, improves its water holding capacity and increases aeration. With the presence of organic matter there is lesser need to incorporate expensive inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides etc.
   
4. Improves water availability and quality: When the crop residue acts as a protective shield, it guarantees less water run-off and complete retention of water and moisture. With reduced chances of water evaporation and enlarged potential of the water to penetrate deep into the soil, seed germination is possible, especially in drought-prone areas. Additionally, with a limited volume of disturbed soil and increased crop residue, the runoff rate into surface water gets extensively lowered.
   
5. Increased savings: Owing to reduced farm activities before harvest, restricted soil preparation and decreased passes over the field, there is reduced exploitation of labor, fuel, and machinery. This ultimately leads to extra availability of labor, machinery, time, energy and cost savings that gives farmers the opportunity to farm more acres of land and increase their profits.
   
6. Weed management: With the crop residue setting a strong foot on the soil surface, it becomes difficult for weed to develop and fight with the crops for essential nutrients. This also reduces the need for herbicides.
   
7. Atmospheric protection: Tillage is a major contributor of greenhouse gases emissions from the soil to the atmosphere. In conventional tillage, soil aeration occurs which leads to risen oxygen levels, which further increases aerobic turnover in the soil; this whole process leads to the emission of greenhouse gases. However, with less soil disturbance and the vegetative cover intact, the wind’s ability to sway the soil particles away and destroy air quality gets minimal. The environmental cost of conventional tillage is far greater than conservation tillage.

As an essential part of sustainable agriculture, Conservation Tillage ensures profitability, proficiency, and productivity for the modern farmer. The various techniques encompassing this tillage system include:

1. No till (Zero Till): Also known as Zero tillage, this type is characterized by zero physical disruption of the topsoil. Vis-à-vis a single pass, a narrow seedbed is created which is covered by plant residues. Herbicides are used to control weed germination and fertilizers are applied directly into the furrow through tubes which helps in the conservation of soil and water and minimizing the use of synthetic inputs. Some of its benefits include:
   • Labor cost, fuel, time, and energy is minimized since the operation time is shortened.
   • Equipment cost is subsequently reduced since the use of machinery is limited.
   • Crop residue from the previous season provides shelter for wildlife, reduces the chances of air and soil erosion, prevents runoff, and retains soil moisture.
     
2. Mulch till: While a layer of organic matter blankets the soil surface, it also involves partial soil disturbance by mixing residues with the help of cultivators, disks, blades, etc. Some points of consideration:
   • It is best suited for heavier soils, to grow both annual and perennial crops.
   • The crop residue shields the soil from the harsh winds and rainfall impact; leading to reduced erosion and loss.
   • With fewer passes for seedbed preparation, the use of fuel, machinery, time and comprehensive operation cost is far less.
   • This type incorporates primary tillage, cultivation, fertilizers and pesticides.
     
3. Ridge till: A widely popular technique, ridge tillage involves plantation that is done on the ridges top, along the sides or in the furrow, using tools such as sweeps and disks. More than one crop can be grown simultaneously in the same plot of land. It has a few advantages:
   • Suitable for cold and wet soils.
   • It enables the soil to get warmed up faster in spring season.
   • Weed control is done mechanically and efficiently.
   • After constructing the ridges, the field traffic gets restricted between it, ultimately preventing soil compaction and promoting root growth.
   • It makes erosion control possible.
   • An ideal seedbed is constructed at the top of the ridges with the help of row cleaners and disks. These ridges are rebuilt during cultivation.
     
4. Strip-Till: Also known as Zonal Tillage, this type can be practiced on poorly drained soil. Principally, the process is divided into two parts: seedling, which is done mechanically and soil management which is treated with cover crops. The crop rows are surrounded by crop residues while only the seedbed is tilled. There is only shallow soil disturbance which is done using tools such as rototiller, row chisel etc. Some of its benefits include:
   • Clean strips are formed that provide better seed-soil contact.
   • Soil compaction is heavily reduced.
   • Herbicides are applied in the form of a band or a strip for efficient application.

With the increased food production pressure, there is an intensifying discussion around farming and its negative consequences.The extensive debate around tillage, whether “to till or not to till”, has brought agricultural enthusiasts in support of a paradigm shift towards conservation tillage over conventional tillage which not only contributes to the farmer’s increased yield and profits but also to the environment’s viability and soil’s comprehensive health.

Fieldking, a leading manufacturer of agricultural equipment offers high-quality tillage tools that significantly enhance the efficiency of conventional tillage practices. With a vast range of plows, harrows, and cultivators, Fieldking’s agricultural implements ensure thorough soil aeration and preparation for planting. Fieldking’s robust machinery is designed to handle various soil types, breaking up compacted soil, and incorporating crop residues, which improves soil structure and fertility. By offering durable and efficient equipment, Fieldking helps farmers achieve optimal soil conditions, promoting better crop yields and productivity. Our innovative designs and reliable performance make us a trusted partner in conventional tillage.