A review on tillage system and no-till agriculture and its impact on soil health

Abstract

Soil tillage is a fundamental agriculture practice aimed at preparing the soil for planting, managing crop residues, controlling weeds, preparing the ground for the next crop, integrating leftover crops and nutrients into the soil, and enhancing soil structure. However, tillage practice significantly influences activities like soil moisture, temperature, aeration, and mixing the crop residues within the soil. This article explores the impacts of traditional tillage methods and alternative approaches to reduce production costs, environmental consequences, and safeguard soil for sustainable crop production through the secondary source of results as published research papers, documents, government official and institution reports. Traditional tillage method involves the mechanical disruption of soil, which affects critical factors such as moisture retention, temperature regulation, and aeration. While use of such heavy machines can improve short-term productivity, its long-term impacts include soil compaction, erosion, and loss of organic matter, leading to environmental degradation and declining soil health. In contrast, No-till and reduced tillage practices offers a promising solution to contemporary challenges such as global climate change, water conservation, rapid soil degradation, and desertification. Under this system, wide range of crops can be grown effectively in low production cost by reducing fuel and labor requirements. No-tillage and minimal tillage is being adopted across a wide range of farm sizes, from small plots of land to vast expanses, in various countries around the world with promising sustainability.