|
Our website aims to provide a layman audience with the keys to understand the controversy around Conservation Tillage. |
|
|
What is Conservation Tillage? Tillage is defined as the act of preparing land for the raising of crops. Tilling has been used for ages almost everywhere in the world, thus, several tillage systems have been developed. Three tillage systems can be distinguished: intensive tillage where less than 15% of the crop residue remains on the soil, reduced tillage where the proportion of crop residues remaining is between 15 and 30 % and conservation tillage (more than 30% of crop residue). |
A means to fight climate change? Conventional tillage practices leave the soil bare and unprotected in times of heavy rainfall and heat, enhancing erosion damage. Intensive soil tillage accelerates organic matter mineralisation and converts plant residues to carbon dioxide, which is liberated into the atmosphere contributing to the green house effect and to global warming. While fossil fuels are the main producer of carbon dioxide, estimates are that the widespread adoption of conservation tillage could offset as much as 16% of world-wide fossil fuel emissions (CTIC, 1996). |
|
Click on the worm to learn to navigate our site! |
|
