Conservation tillage achieves record acreage, yields

Effects of tillage methods on barley yields

Inter-row tillage for improved soil and water conservation and crop yields on crusted Alfisols

In the semi-arid tropics (SAT), 33% areas are occupied by Alfisols and related soils. In SAT these soils have low structural stability and thereby tend to form seal and crusts at the surface. Due to this a large proportion of the rain that falls on Alfisols during the early part of the rainy season, is normally lost as runoff thus causing high soil loss as well as moisture stress to crops. Two ...

Conservation Tillage and Weed Management

Tillage has long been an essential component of traditional agricultural systems. Broadly defined, tillage is the mechanical manipulation of the soil and plant residues to prepare a seedbed for crop planting. The benefits of tillage are many: it loosens soil, enhances the release of nutrients from the soil for crop growth, kills weeds, and regulates the circulation of water and air within the s...

Weed Control for Conservation Tillage

Introduction Conservation tillage systems using sweep plows or field cultivators leave a high percentage of crop residues on the soil surface, which protects the soil from wind and water erosion (Johnson, 1950; Jones and Johnson, 1982; Allen and Fenster, 1986; Johnson et al., 1974). These systems have been successful in semiarid areas because meager rainfall after plowing does not allow weeds t...

Conservation Tillage for Vegetable Production

Conservation tillage is an effective sustainable production system for vegetables. No-till planters and transplanters and strip-till cultivation equipment are presently available for most vegetables. Lack of weed management tools (herbicides, cultivators, etc.) continues to be the cultural practice that limits adaptability of some vegetables to conservation tillage systems. Nitrogen management ...