No-Till Farming Systems in the Canadian Prairies

Abstract

The Canadian prairies account for about 85% of Canada’s arable land. Historically, cropping systems were primarily summer fallow-cereal based, which led to severe soil degradation, loss of productivity, and negative environmental consequences. Efforts were taken by all stakeholders to arrest this grave situation, and one of the key measures was retaining crop residues on the soil surface along with standing stubble to conserve soil moisture and enhance soil organic matter (SOM). This mitigation strategy led to the development of the no-till (NT) cropping system in the Canadian prairies. Adoption of NT in the early years was slow due to limitations of seeding equipment, weed control options, and lack of yield advantage over conventional tillage (CT). Since the 1980s, NT has become a routine practice on the Canadian prairie, and currently is adapted on about 65% of the arable land area. The drastic change is largely due to the development of advanced seeding and harvesting equipment and improved weed control options. Although challenges still remain, for example, the increased prevalence of herbicide resistant weeds, wet seedbed in spring, and excessive crop straw on the soil surface, NT systems have significantly contributed to enhancing economic and environmental sustainability on the prairie. In this chapter, we discuss the evolution of NT in the Canadian prairie and the impacts of the decades of NT adoption on productivity, soil health, and challenges.