Description of practice
Minimum tillage is a soil conservation practice that aims to reduce soil disturbance to the minimum necessary for successful crop production while not turning the soil over. It is a contrast to intensive tillage which changes the soil structure using ploughs.
| Examples of how to use minimum tillage | Further information (see Note below) |
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Minimizing tillage operationsTillage is reduced to a combined, one-pass seedbed preparation and sowing operation. Additional shallow stubble cultivation may be used after harvesting. |
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Non-inversion tillageNon-inversion tillage is a tillage method that does not turn the soil over. Usually only the upper 10-18 cm of the soil surface is tilled. |
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Alternate inter-row minimum tillage in vineyardsMinimum tillage in vineyards is performed in alternate inter-row zones, to prevent soil compaction and maintain partial vegetation cover. |
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Note: Most of the Further information links are to a full description of the example in the WOCAT database. However sometimes the link may be to similar practices or a research paper. Occasionally the link is to a commercial product in which case it should be understood that this does not imply any endorsement of the product by iSQAPER.