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RRDI_CropEstablishment_LandPreparation_MinimumTillage

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Rice-the staple food-Crop Establishment

Minimum and Zero Tillage

What is minimum/ zero tillage?

  • A land preperation practice that follow limited tillage practices than in conventional methods.

Advantages of Minimum and zero tillage practices

  • Reduces the time required for land preperation.
  • Reduces labor and fuel costs compared to conventional methods.
  • Induces less damage to soil structure.

        Zero tillage – extreme minimum tillage, which is not practiced prominently due to limited availability of broad-spectrum preplant herbicides.

Minimum Tillage

How do we perform minimum tillage?

  • Primary tillage or row tillage is performed as usual.
  • Crop residues are kept in-between rows.
  • Bigger soil clumps are broken again by a  secondary tillage cycle.
  • Cleaning of bunds will not be done.
  • Seeds are broadcasted over the field.
  • Herbicides are applied regularly weed management.

What are the special factors that need attention?

  • Once sown, less number of seeds are successfully grown in to seedlings as seeds may be
    • carried away by birds and rodents.
    • retained in deep harrows.
  • Higher rate of seed paddy (~150-250kg/ha) is required regardless the seed broadcasting method used.

Zero Tillage

How do we perform zero tillage?

  • As the name implies, there will be no land preparation practiced.
  • Before seeds are broadcasted, weeds are managed using herbicides.
  • Preperation of seed paddy – Bin water for 48 hours and incubated for 24 hours.
  • Soil is left to get moistened at the onset of rain.
  • Seeds are broadcasted.
  • Field is inundated with water after seeds are germinated for 7-10 days.
  • Herbicides could be used to control weeds.

What are the special factors that need attention?

  • Higher rate of seed paddy (150-250kg/ha) is required similar to minimum tillage.