What effect does tillage have?

Tillage practices showed positive effects on soil properties and crop yields. After four cropping cycles, the highest OM accumulation, the maximum root mass density (0–15 cm soil depth), and the improved physical and chemical properties were recorded in the conservational tillage practices.

The effects of tillage can include soil compaction; loss of organic matter; degradation of soil aggregates; death or disruption of soil microbes and other organisms including mycorrhizae, arthropods, and earthworms; and soil erosion where topsoil is washed or blown away.

In agricultural systems, tillage functions as a subsystem that influences crop production mainly through crop establishment, modification of soil structure, incorporation of fertilizer and soil amendments (e.g., lime and manure), and weed control. Tillage is also used to alleviate both climatic and soil constraints.

However, soil scientists and growers are becoming increasingly aware of the long-term negative impacts mechanical disturbance can have on soil health. Tilling destroys soil’s natural structure, breaking-up colloids and collapsing macro pores.

Tillage can break up soil structure, speed the decomposition and loss of organic matter, increase the threat of erosion, destroy the habitat of helpful organisms and cause compaction. Each of these potential outcomes negatively impact soil quality. A soil’s performance is directly related to a soil’s quality or health.

Tillage prior to planting temporarily decreases bulk density on the surface but increases at the depth of tillage. Subsequent trips across the field by farm equipment, rainfall events, animals, and other disturbance activities will also compact soil.

It has been well documented that increased tillage intensities can reduce soil organic matter in the topsoil due to increased microbial activity and carbon (C ) oxidation. … Tillage effects on soil organic matter can be magnified through soil erosion and loss of soil productivity.

The downside of tilling is that it destroys the natural soil structure, which makes soil more prone to compaction. By exposing a greater surface area to air and sunlight, tilling reduces soil’s moisture-retaining ability and causes a hard crust to form on the soil surface.

Tillage promotes aeration and drainage of soil, breaks up plant tissues, disrupts and redistributes micro-organisms, modifies thermal regimes (Doran 1982;Larney and Bullock 1994; Khan 1996) and promotes the release and subsequent degradation of previously protected organic matter (Rovira and Greacen 1957;Adu and Oades …

Primary tillage loosens the soil and mixes in fertilizer or plant material, resulting in soil with a rough texture. … It also provides weed control throughout the growing season during the maturation of the crop plants, unless such weed control is instead achieved with low-till or no-till methods involving herbicides.

tillage, in agriculture, the preparation of soil for planting and the cultivation of soil after planting. See cultivator; harrow; plow.

Soil pH and CaCO3 were not affected by soil tillage. SOC, Nt, PMN, P and K increased in the uppermost soil layer with reduced tillage intensity. SOC, Nt, P and K were more evenly distributed in MP whereas a generally higher decline downwards the soil profile was observed with lower tillage intensity.

As its name implies, conservation tillage conserves soil by reducing erosion. In the Midwest, erosion by water is the primary concern, whereas western regions of the country are more susceptible to wind erosion. Soil erosion removes the productive layer of topsoil, reducing crop yields and land value.

Tillage removes carbon from the soil and releases into the air as carbon dioxide,” Reeder says. Along with putting carbon back into the ground, Jerry Hatfield, plant physiologist at the USDA says no-till farming decreases the evaporation in the soil system that’s common after extreme droughts or flooding.

Decreased decomposition rates Repetitive tillage degrades the soil structure and its potential to hold moisture, reduces the amount of organic matter in the soil, breaks up aggregates, and reduces the population of soil fauna such as earthworms that contribute to nutrient cycling and soil structure.

(2007) indicated that intensive tillage loosens the soil, it buries the crop residues and exposes the soil to high-intensity rainfall and high wind speeds that lead to severe erosion.

Conservation tillage improves soil aggregate stability that enhances nutrient retention and reduces soil erosion thereby contributing to soil fertility and mediates air permeability, water infiltration, and nutrient cycling.

Microbial numbers were negatively and linearly related to soil bulk density. With increases in soil bulk density from 1.00 to 1.60 Mg m–3, total numbers of bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes declined by 26–39%.

Bulk density is an indicator of soil compaction. It is calculated as the dry weight of soil divided by its volume. This volume includes the volume of soil particles and the volume of pores among soil particles. Bulk density is typically expressed in g/cm3.

Why it is important: Bulk density reflects the soil’s ability to function for structural support, water and solute movement, and soil aeration. … Specific problems that might be caused by poor function: High bulk density is an indicator of low soil porosity and soil compaction.

Producing crops usually involves regular tilling that agitates the soil in various ways, usually with tractor drawn implements. Tillage is used to remove weeds, mix in soil amendments like fertilizers, shape the soil into rows for crop plants and furrows for irrigation, and prepare the surface for seeding.

Table 1. Advantages and Disadvantages of Selected Tillage SystemsDiskLess erosion with more residue. Well adapted for well-drained soils. Good incorporation.Little erosion control with more operations. High soil moisture loss. Destroys soil structure. Compacts wet soil.

Frequent tillage deteriorates soil structure and weakens soil aggregates, causing them to be susceptible to decay. Different types of tillage systems affect soil physical properties and organic matter content, in turn influencing the formation of aggregates.

Not cultivating soil, rotating crops over the years, and leaving crop residues on the surface in the practice of zero tillage/conservation agriculture (ZT/CA) reverses the historically accelerating degradation of soil organic matter (SOM) and soil structure, while increasing soil biological activity by a factor of 2 to …

Erosion, which produces sediment, is accelerated when soil is disturbed, left bare, and exposed to rainfall. Construction activities, such as grading and filling, reduce soil quality on construction sites. 14. Urban development activities can cause rapid soil degradation and sedimentation.

Tilling increases air in soil and stimulates the activity of aerobic bacteria. That helps break down organic matter more quickly, releasing heat as energy. Amends soil in fall. When you till in fall, you can also add organic matter such as the season’s dying vegetable plants.

Soil texture affects soil resistance to erosion. The coarser the soil texture, the smaller the active surface area of the soil particles, and the smaller is the resistance of the soil to erosion. Soil texture usually changes with soil depth but the texture of the soil surface horizon is considered as most important.

• Active and Total Carbon.
• Organic Matter.
• Enzymes.
• Earthworms.
• Nematodes.
• Respiration.
• Fungi and Bacteria.
• Microorganisms.

1 Mitigation Potential of Conservation Tillage. Conservation tillage decreases soil disturbance and decomposition, leaving surface residue cover that can increase water retention, soil C and N, and potentially crop yield.