Agriculture

Soil tillage and crop residue management

Crop residue management through conservation tillage is one of the best and least costly ways to reduce soil erosion.

Krishn patel

Jan 16, 2022 — 4 min read

Crop residue management through conservation tillage is one of the best and least costly ways to reduce soil erosion. Conservation tillage and residue management can reduce machinery costs and crop residues are distributed evenly over the soil surface to save soil, labor, fuel, and money, which significantly reduces soil damage to the entire area. The sloping land maintenance cost of sloping land can be reduced by reducing the damage caused by soil erosion due to the cover of this residue.

Erosion process :

Soil erosion involves two methods: loosening of soil and transport of soil. Most of the soil loosening is due to the effect of raindrops (in drop) which is a major factor in sheet erosion. Suppose that the average erosion of cropland is 10 tons per acre, that is, as much as 007 inches (slightly 1/16 inch) of soil is washed. Sheet erosion is not even known for years, so there is often a lot of loss in productivity. In addition, sheets form small waterways that increase soil erosion.

How does residue reduce erosion?

Residues (and crop umbrellas) can reduce soil loosening by absorbing the effects of rainwater. In addition, crop residues can form small dams that block rainwater and absorb raindrops' energy, thus significantly reducing soil loosening and transport. Many areas can be eroded by the remaining crop residues on the surface of the soil. In areas of water flow such as natural or designed sewer systems, crop residues alone are usually not sufficient to control erosion. Such areas may require some structural measures such as permanent grass ladders and/or diversions or terraces (especially to control erosion through alleys). Long slope, high water velocity obtained in the flow of the sheet can remove the remnants of different crops. Once removed, erosion will increase due to detachment and transport. Terraces and diversions, in combination with crop residues, may be necessary to control sheet erosion.

Importance of soil tillage as well as residue management:

No-teal is a conservation tillage practice in which the crop residue is left on the field, which produces minimal soil disruption. Crop residues are harvested after harvest. These fossils include stalks and stubble, leaves, and seed pods. Good management of farm residues can increase the efficiency of irrigation and drainage control. Can be used for almost any crop for almost any soil. And can save manufacturers labor costs and fuel. It is a wonderful investment for the environment and the farm. In addition to energy efficiency and cost savings, there are some environmental benefits in no time. No - increasing organic matter in the soil over time increases soil fertility, makes it more stable, and helps prevent soil erosion. Not until greenhouse gases are reduced, as they require less fuel and more stored carbon in the soil. Other benefits of using No-Teal as part of a resource management system include:

Increases earthworm population which increases soil fertility, quality - in traditional plowing it is .2,85,000. On average, there are about 5,40,000 earthworms per acre.
Prevents water from entering the ground by other means such as evaporation and erosion of at least 70%.
tiling time is required as low as two-thirds per acre.
wildlife habitat improves.

Importance of crop residue management in irrigated areas:

It has the facility to contain stubble-like stones, leaves, wood shavings, stubborn stone residues, helping to develop and improve the physical and chemical properties of the soil.
Crop residues control water loss caused by rainwater runoff.
Increase water evaporation in the soil and reduce water evaporation.
it controls weeds, soil temperature by radiation shielding.
it adds soil nutrients through organic matter.
it improves the structure of mineral soluble clays, the biological practice of clays by mixing organic matter.

Other benefits of conservation farming:

Minor benefits from conservation farming can result from fewer farms, which loosens the soil surface and increases soil erosion. Soil hardness decreases. So plowing the field requires less energy. As well as this type of tillage increases the ability of the soil to make direct contact with the rainwater droplets and also does not cause erosion. However, little credit is given to these factors for reducing soil loss, as these benefits may be temporary.

Crop residue management:

This includes leaving last year's crop residue on the soil surface with limited tillage, including soil molding and ridge til.

How does crop residue management work?

Before and during planting, it provides cover for the soil for the rest of the year, leaving the previous year's crop residues on the surface of the soil. Saves land by reducing farm operations. Crop residues provide a protective canopy to protect soil particles from rain and wind.

How does crop residue management help?

Ground cover prevents soil erosion and saves water quality.
Residues improve soil tilt and add organic matter to the soil as it decomposes.
As less tillage is required, it prevents soil formation.
Saving time, energy, and labor is possible with less plowing.

Increasing residue management:

Residue management (through conservation tillage) can be increased to control soil erosion.
Choose crops that have abundant residues (such as corn and sorghum) or cover more soil per pound (such as wheat) by crop residues.
Selection of crop order so that the cover of soil residue changes frequently. (E.g. using double crop or winter crop as cover).
Use crops whose residue lasts longer. (E.g. high carbon - crop with nitrogen ratio, wheat).
It is necessary to spread the residue exclusively through the combined machine as well as spreaders.
Irrigation should be used to produce high-yielding crops, especially in drought years.