Hannah Krujia Asangla

ACTO – Agronomy

Zero tillage is the method the place the crop seed are sown with out prior land preparation.  It can be known as No Tillage or Nil Tillage. Zero tillage proves higher for direct-seeded crop seeds viz., rice, maize, soybean, cotton, pigeonpea, mungbean, clusterbean, pearlmillet throughout kharif season and wheat, barley, chickpea, mustard and lentil throughout rabi season. 

Objectives of zero tillage

•    To scale back the cultivation value

•    To enhance the natural matter content material within the soil

•    Reduction in soil erosion

•    Increase in water use effectivity

•    Reducing soil compaction

•    Less gas is required resulting in much less environmental air pollution

•    Weed downside is minimized. This could also be as a result of purpose that weed seeds remained in deeper layer below zero tillage system compared to standard system

Practices for administration of zero tillage

1.    Growing of canopy crops – Cover crops carry out a twin perform as they shield the soil floor and enhance the soil properties. Cover crops enhance infiltration, create macropores (i.e., earthworm burrows), enhance combination stability, and enhance soil natural matter content material and soil microbial biomass.

2.    Crop rotation – Crop rotation is the apply of planting totally different crops sequentially on the identical plot of land to enhance soil well being, optimize vitamins within the soil, and fight pest and weed stress.

3.    Implements – Heavy tillage equipments should not used for zero tillage as it might trigger compaction of the soil. Implements used for zero tillage are zero seed cum fertilizer drill, rotary weeder, steel chopping blade mould board plough.

4.    Management of crop residue – Crop residues can enhance soil construction, enhance natural matter content material within the soil, scale back evaporation, and assist repair CO2 within the soil. Good residue administration practices on agricultural lands have many constructive impacts on soil high quality.

Benefits from zero tillage

•    Enhance manufacturing and yield (4-10%) 

•    Lowers manufacturing prices (Rs. 2000-3000 /ha) 

•    Reduce CO2 emission 

•    Reduce gas consumption 

•    Minimizes soil erosion 

•    Boosts soil high quality 

•    Saves water 

•    Increases organic exercise 

•    Reduces well being hazard by avoiding crop residue burning 

•    Enhance water use effectivity 

•    Reduce the incidences of weeds akin to Phalaris minor in wheat

Constraints in adoption of zero tillage

i.    Lack of acceptable seeders particularly for small farmers and medium scale farmers

ii.    The huge unfold use of crop residues for livestock feed and gas

iii. Burning of crop residues

iv.    Lack of information in regards to the potential of Zero Tillage

v.    Skilled and scientific manpower.