2.1.3. Conservation tillage
Conservation agriculture is aimed at soil and water management in agricultural crop production. The system maintains
acceptable profits together with high and sustained production
levels in a conserved environment (FAO, 2007). Conservation
cannot be over-emphasized considering the ever increasing
population of the world that necessitates the production of more
food to sustain man and animals (New Standard, 1992).
Conservation tillage can be defined as a crop cultivation system
that allows minimum disturbance of the soil to allow crops to be
sown while ensuring maintenance of crop residues on the surface
(FAO, 1993). The crop residue left on the surface reduces rain drop
impact and reduces surface water movement, hence soil erosion.
Rainfall on land that is not protected by a layer of mulch is left open
to the elements of being impacted directly by the rain. But when
soils are covered under a layer of mulch, the ground is protected in
a way so that the ground is not directly impacted by rainfall (Hobbs
et al., 2008). As water runoff and evaporation are reduced, water
penetration is improved. The build-up of crop residues and roots in
the long term, improves soil structure. The term conservation
tillage has been used for varying tillage practices under a wide
range of conditions (Mannering and Fenster, 1983). The vague use
of the term for differing situations has created confusion and
misunderstanding. The term encompasses a broad spectrum of
practices ranging from no-till to intensive tillage, depending on soil
2.1.3. Conservation tillage
Conservation agriculture is aimed at soil and water management in agricultural crop production. The system maintains
acceptable profits together with high and sustained production
levels in a conserved environment (FAO, 2007). Conservation
cannot be over-emphasized considering the ever increasing
population of the world that necessitates the production of more
food to sustain man and animals (New Standard, 1992).
Conservation tillage can be defined as a crop cultivation system
that allows minimum disturbance of the soil to allow crops to be
sown while ensuring maintenance of crop residues on the surface
(FAO, 1993). The crop residue left on the surface reduces rain drop
impact and reduces surface water movement, hence soil erosion.
Rainfall on land that is not protected by a layer of mulch is left open
to the elements of being impacted directly by the rain. But when
soils are covered under a layer of mulch, the ground is protected in
a way so that the ground is not directly impacted by rainfall (Hobbs
et al., 2008). As water runoff and evaporation are reduced, water
penetration is improved. The build-up of crop residues and roots in
the long term, improves soil structure. The term conservation
tillage has been used for varying tillage practices under a wide
range of conditions (Mannering and Fenster, 1983). The vague use
of the term for differing situations has created confusion and
misunderstanding. The term encompasses a broad spectrum of
practices ranging from no-till to intensive tillage, depending on soil
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