The question is about tillage systems in conservation agriculture practices
Some of the research I have seen deliberately does not plow the ground. It affects the properties of soil and its organic matter ...
@Kafula, conservation tillage helps to leave the previous season crop residues on fields before and after promoting the next crop to reduce soil erosion, run off as well as carbon sequestration. It also reduced fuel and labour requirement which ultimately helps to productivity of land, improves soil structure, nutrient losses as well as maintaining soil cover and minimizing soil disturbance. I think, basins would give better productivity than ripped lines under conservation agriculture due to more water retention.
I think it depends on the type of soil. with heavy soils you need tillage to improve the structure fro next crop. meanwhile with light soil, conservative tillage will help to leave the residues of previous season crop in the soil so it will reduce erosion.
As their is good moisture in soil profile covered by straw or mulch crop doesn't feel stress even with a sudden rise in temperature and no shriveling of seed occur. Thus, led to higher crop yields.
Conservation agriculture (CA) - the simultaneous application of minimal soil disturbance, conservation of crop residues and crop diversification - is a key way to address low soil fertility and adverse impacts of climate change so that only conservation agriculture can achieve sustainability as it is aligned with sustainability criteria
@Tarafdar and Youssef, your insights on conservation agriculture are noted
Soil conservation efforts help maintain soil fertility. One of the efforts to conserve land is by farming polyculture / agroforestry which is a farm that can arrange run off to flow at a speed that does not damage and increase the amount of water infiltrated in the soil. Besides that, the falling energy of rainwater will be reduced due to the crop canopy being held so that it does not immediately fall to the ground. Nevertheless, the ability of polyculture farming in conservation efforts is very limited because it depends on the characteristics of rainfall, geological / soil characteristics, topography and crop management.
It all depends on the climate and topography of your farm. Basins are very important in slopy fields (greater than 5%) and growing tree crops. Basins in clay soils are challanging. Ripper lines are prominanent where mulches are available and the moisture shorta is more critical. Hence, both methodologies are vital in CA; However, careful choice is required before implimentation.ge
Its very context specific, as others have mentioned. Have a look at this publication for a case from Zambia:
Article Are Smallholder Zambian Farmers Economists? A Dual-Analysis ...
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