Difference between zero & Minimum Tillage
Zero tillage:
- Father of zero tillage Glubler B. Triplets (USA), 1950
- Primary tillage completely avoided.
- Secondary tillage restricted to seedbed preparation in the row zone only.
- Keeps 50-100% of residue on soil surface.
- Before sowing, herbicides Paraquat, Glyphosate are used for weed control.
- Till planting is adopted. (Practice in zero tillage including four operations)
- Cleaning the crop row
- Opening of soil for seed insertion
- Placing of seed
- Covering the seed
• accomplished in one tillage operation.
Minimum tillage
- Method aimed at reducing tillage to the minimum necessary for ensuring a good seedbed
- Also rapid germination,satisfactory crop stand and favorable growing conditions
- Started in USA, high cost of tillage steep rise in oil price in 1974.
- Tillage operation only for seed bed preparation.
- Keep 30-50 % crop residues on soil surface.
- It improves soil condition cause of in situ decomposition of plant residue.
- Weed control by herbicide
