Tillage Case Studies

Following our farming systems today and in particular of a case study of Mr Ryk Neethling in Bloemfontein a maize farmer who practices dry farming, shows that conservation tillage has the key for sustainable agriculture production and the environment respectively through reducing production cost, herbicide and weeding labor input costs, preserving the soil quality and also taking care of the greenhouse gas emissions. Critically following the routine activities done to sustain the fertility of the soil and produce crops, the farmers’ use a lot of conventional fertilizers and chemicals which can be reduced if proper tillage practices are done and also if proper fertilizer recommended practices are followed. But difficulties to the adoption of

It’s performed over long periods for production of a given crop (maize), it clears surface residue, interrupts weeds, pests and disease cycles and breaks the hard layers for root penetration. Conservation Tillage Information Center in West Lafayette, Indiana, USA (CTIC, 2004). It mechanically inverts the soil by moldboard ploughs with more than one harrowing. It embraces three distinct operations (Gajri et al.,

Steiner (2002) cited that organic matter decomposes faster in the tropics as opposed to sub and temperate climates due to high temperatures so this tillage system contributes to quick loss of organic matter due to soil inversion by mechanization as breakdown is quickened hence more carbon into the atmosphere leading to global warming.

Given the continuous use of tractors worked on the land for prolonged periods, this leads to hard pans making it hard for water infiltration hence limited moisture for crop growth and a constant threat of water