shelter belts: reduce wind and evaporation, increase soil temperature.
reduced tillage: tilling only the areas that matter while minimally disturbing the soil. Tilling between furrows.
no-tillage: the ultimate in reduced tillage. Weeds are controlled by cutting or with herbicides. The natural soil organisms are allowed to rebuild the soil, increasing its porosity and resistance to compaction, while better retaining nutrients. Only where seeds are planted is the soil 'drilled'.
stubble-mulching: leaving stubble on the field as long as possible to reduce evaporation, to catch snow in winter, to keep the soil covered. Rather than ploughing the stubble under, which would disturb the soil while inviting soil organisms to decompose the organic matter far too rapidly, the stubble is mulched to leave soil organisms the task of digging it under. This reduces weed growth and keeps the soil covered, while feeding the soil biota slowly.
contour ploughing: works a bit like terracing, preventing moisture from running down-hill and reducing erosion considerably.