Comparing Comparing Conventional Conventional

Tillage and No TillTillage and No Till

Sudeep Singh Sudeep Singh SidhuSidhu

SOIL 4213SOIL 4213

What Is Tillage?What Is Tillage?

The operation, The operation, practice or art of practice or art of tilling or preparing tilling or preparing land for sowing, land for sowing, and keeping the and keeping the ground in proper ground in proper state for growth of state for growth of crops.crops.

http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Tillage

WHY PERFORM TILLAGEWHY PERFORM TILLAGE THE PHYSICAL THE PHYSICAL

MANIPULATION OF MANIPULATION OF THE SOIL FOR THE THE SOIL FOR THE PURPOSES OF:PURPOSES OF: Management of previous Management of previous

crop residuescrop residues Control of competing Control of competing

vegetationvegetation Incorporation of Incorporation of

amendmentsamendments Preparation of a Preparation of a

seedbedseedbed CONVENTIONAL TILLAGE CONVENTIONAL TILLAGE

LEAVES 5- 10% SURFACE LEAVES 5- 10% SURFACE RESIDUERESIDUE

Types of tillageTypes of tillage

PrimaryPrimary Incorporation of Incorporation of

plant residues plant residues and fertilizersand fertilizers

Secondary tillageSecondary tillage Weed Weed

Management Management Seed bed Seed bed

preparationpreparation

Primary Tillage PlowsPrimary Tillage Plows

Secondary TillageSecondary Tillage

DisadvantagesDisadvantages

Loss of SOMLoss of SOM Expensive – Labor, Equipments, Time Expensive – Labor, Equipments, Time

& Fuel& Fuel Less water holding capacityLess water holding capacity Wind and water erosionWind and water erosion Destruction of soil poresDestruction of soil pores Aggregate Breakdown- CrustingAggregate Breakdown- Crusting Compaction- Restricts root growth & Compaction- Restricts root growth &

water infiltrationwater infiltration

INTENSIVE TILLAGE INTENSIVE TILLAGE PROMOTES SOIL PROMOTES SOIL

EROSIONEROSION

Wind ErosionWind Erosion

CROP RESIDUE IS STILL THE BEST CROP RESIDUE IS STILL THE BEST EROSION PREVENTION TOOLEROSION PREVENTION TOOL

REDUCED DETACHMENT

HINDERS OVERLAND FLOW

IMPROVED INFILTRATION

ROTATIONS MAINTAIN SOIL STRUCTURE

No Till - DefinitionNo Till - Definition

Planting crops Planting crops without prior seedbed without prior seedbed preparation, into an preparation, into an existing cover crop, or existing cover crop, or crop residues, and crop residues, and eliminating eliminating subsequent tillage subsequent tillage operations. operations.

Plant CropHarvest

Plant Cover Kill Cover

AdvantagesAdvantages

↑ ↑ Soil Organic MatterSoil Organic Matter ↑ ↑ Water conservationWater conservation ↑ ↑ Available nitrogenAvailable nitrogen ↑ ↑ Water Stable Aggregates – gums, Water Stable Aggregates – gums,

gels etcgels etc ↑ ↑ Biological ActivityBiological Activity ↓ ↓ ErosionErosion ↓ ↓ Heat StressHeat Stress ↓ ↓ Summer FallowingSummer Fallowing ↓ ↓ Weed PopulationWeed Population

Heat Stress and YieldHeat Stress and Yield

TreatmTreatmentent

Heat Stress Heat Stress Index (Index (ooC)C)

BiomaBiomassss

(kg/ (kg/ ha)ha)

YieldYield

(kg/ (kg/ ha)ha)5 cm5 cm 10 cm10 cm

NTNT 12781278 896896 40904090 966966

CTCT 24022402 16981698 15741574 391391HSI = Σ (Ti – Tc )

Wang et al. (2007)

Nutrient LossNutrient Loss

Lankoski et al (2006)

Cost ??Cost ??

Lankoski et al (2006)

ReferencesReferences Lankoski, J., Ollikainen, M. and Uusitalo, P. (2006). Lankoski, J., Ollikainen, M. and Uusitalo, P. (2006).

No-till technology: benefits to farmers and the No-till technology: benefits to farmers and the environment? Theoretical analysis and application to environment? Theoretical analysis and application to Finnish agriculture. Finnish agriculture. European Review of Agricultural European Review of Agricultural EconomicsEconomics 33: 193-221. 33: 193-221.

Wang, H., Lemke, R., Goddard, T. and Sprout, C. Wang, H., Lemke, R., Goddard, T. and Sprout, C. (2007). Tillage and root heat stress in wheat in central (2007). Tillage and root heat stress in wheat in central Alberta. Alberta. Canadian Journal of Soil ScienceCanadian Journal of Soil Science 87: 87: 3-10. 3-10.

http://southcenters.osu.edu/soil/compact.htmhttp://southcenters.osu.edu/soil/compact.htm http://www.extsoilcrop.colostate.edu/Newsletters/http://www.extsoilcrop.colostate.edu/Newsletters/

2002/May2002/May www.nhaindia.com/images/cultivator.jpgwww.nhaindia.com/images/cultivator.jpg www.topcropmanager.comwww.topcropmanager.com

Continued…Continued… http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/tillagehttp://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/tillage

_2.html_2.html www.thunderdisc.com/images/graphics/www.thunderdisc.com/images/graphics/

1000024.jpg1000024.jpg

www.funkworkz.com/.../MoldboardPlowAfter.JPGwww.funkworkz.com/.../MoldboardPlowAfter.JPG www.tulsipeople.com/.../05/indiawww.tulsipeople.com/.../05/india

%20farming.jpg%20farming.jpg www.ccma.vic.gov.au/soilhealth/www.ccma.vic.gov.au/soilhealth/ www.auri.org/proproj/rottine1.jpgwww.auri.org/proproj/rottine1.jpg

Questions?Questions?