Zero tillage in Wheat

Submitted by-

Ashish

Id. No. : 16MSAGRO015

M.Sc.(Ag) Agronomy – 1st Semester

Department of Agronomy,

SHIATS1

Zero tillage : A profitable resource saving

technology in India

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INTRODUCTION

Zero tillage is also called as no till. Zero tillage is an extreme

form of minimum tillage. Primary tillage is completely avoided

and secondary tillage is restricted to seedbed preparation in the

row zone only.

In zero tillage, herbicide functions are extended. Before sowing,

the vegetation present has to be destroyed for which broad

spectrum, nonselective herbicides with relatively short residual

effect (Paraquat, Glyphosate etc.,) are used.

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MEANING OF ZERO TILLAGE

No-till farming (also called zero tillage or direct drilling) is a

way of growing crops or pasture from year to year without

disturbing the soil through tillage. No-till is an agricultural

technique which increases the amount of water that infiltrates

into the soil and increases organic matter retention and cycling

of nutrients in the soil.

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ORIGIN OF ZERO-TILLAGE FOR MODERN FARMS

The idea of modern no-till farming started in the 1940s

with Edward H. Faulkner. No-till farming is widely used in the

United States and the number of acres managed in this way

continues to grow. This growth is supported by a decrease in

costs related to tillage; no-till management results in fewer

passes with equipment for approximately equal harvests, and the

crop residue prevents evaporation of rainfall and increases water

infiltration into the soil.

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Ensure that standing stubble is not longer than 15 cm.

Calibrate the zero till machine before planting so that proper

amount of seed and fertilizer is placed in the field.

Seed depth should be kept at 5 cm.

Use of granular fertilizers so that pipes of the ZT machine are

not choked.

Apply first irrigation after 15-20 days of sowing.

Use flat fan nozzle for spraying herbicides.

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION FOR ZERO TILLAGE

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Earthworms form burrows which can enhance gas exchange and

improve water infiltration rates 2-10 times in soils.

Stabilizes soil aggregates, improves soil structure and limits

erosion.

Increase in the extent and density of plant roots.

Breakdown of organic matter.

USE OF EARTHWORMS IN ZERO - TILLAGE FARMING

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EFFECTS OF ZERO TILLAGE

Conservation of resources

1. Decreased soil erosion

2. Reduced surface runoff

3. Greater infiltration

4. Increase the potential for ground water

Reduction in tillage cost

Early sowing

Reduction in machine use

Saving irrigation

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Less weed problem due to less soil disturbance

Control of erosion

Improved soil health

Retention of residues provide a food source to

beneficial insect, earthworms and predators

Reduce pollution

Higher grain yield

High soil moisture content due to both improved soil

structure and the decrease in evaporation due to the

crop residue mulch.

WHY ZERO TILLAGE….

Zero tillage will be useful concept where :

Conventional tillage has not yield more.

Requirement of energy too high.

Requirement of labour too high.

In medium to fine textured soils, use of heavy implements can

result in formation of hard puncturing wet conditions.

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ADVANTAGES OF ZERO TILLAGE

Reduces labor, saves time.

Saves fuel.

Reduces machinery wear.

Improves soil tilth.

Increases organic matter.

Traps soil moisture to improve water availability.

Reduces soil erosion.

Improves water quality.

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COMPARISON BETWEEN

CONVENTIONAL

AND

ZERO TILLAGE SYSTEM

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Issues Conventional tillage Zero tillage

Erosion Maximum Less

Soil physical health

Increase compaction due to

heavy traffic, formation of

plough pan.

Reduced compaction due to

reduced traffic.

Soil biological healthLower due to frequent

disturbance.

More diverse and healthy

biological properties and

populations.

Water infiltration

and soil organic

matter

Lower after soil pores are

clogged. Reduced soil

organic matter.

More water infiltration and

more soil organic matter build-

up in the surface layers.

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Issues Conventional tillage Zero tillage

Weeds Controls weeds and also

causes more weed seeds to

germinate.

Weeds are a problem especially

in the early stages of adoption,

but problems are reduced with

time.

Soil

temperature

More variable. Moderated.

Diesel use and

costs

High and high costs

operations.

Much reduced and lowest costs

operations.

Yield Can be lower where planting

delayed.

Yield is same or higher if

planting done more timely.

.

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Ali Imran at al, 2013

Variety Zero Tillage Conventional Tillage

Deep tillage

No. of spikelets per spike

Punjab-11 Millat-11

18.67

16.29

17.90

16.74

17.86

16.58

No. of grains per spike

Punjab-11 Millat-11

55.10

50.73

51.03

49.98

53.94

52.04

1000-grain weight (g)

Punjab-11 Millat-11

51.23

49.45

45.73

43.18

47.93

46.04

Grain Yield (t ha-1)

Punjab-11 Millat-11

5.20

4.54

4.76

4.30

4.71

4.26

Straw Yield (t ha-1)

Punjab-11 Millat-11

14.13

12.45

12.40

12.36

12.62

12.06

Table 1. Response of different morphological attributes of wheat to different tillage

practices

Table 2. Major farm inputs used in wheat production in Haryana

Particulars Conventional tillage

Zero tillage Change (%)

Human labour (human days/ha)

54.9 51.2 -6.68

Machine labour (hours/ha)

9.6 5.2 -46.30

Seeds (kg/ha) 112 108 -3.73

Irrigation water (m3/ha)

1581.7 1302.5 -17.65

16Tripathi et al. (2013)

Table 3. Yield, cost and return in CT and ZT methods of wheat

production in Haryana

Particulars Conventional

Tillage

Zero Tillage Change (%)

Yield (t/ha) 5.37 5.47 1.86

Operational Cost

(Rs/ha) 29935 26124 -12.73

Gross Income

(Rs/ha) 59070 60181 1.88

Net Income

(Rs/ha) 29135 34057 16.89

Cost of Grain

Production (Rs./ha) 5.57 4.78 -14.34

Tripathi et al. (2013)17

CONCLUSION

Zero tillage means the crop production system, where the soil is

left undisturbed from harvest to planting, except for nutrient

injection and planting or drilling is accomplished in a narrow

seed bed. Weed control is accomplished primarily with

herbicides glyphosate.

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REFERENCE

Imran. A., J.Shafi, N. Akbar, W. Ahmad, M. Ali, S. Tariq (2013), Response of

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Cultivars to Different Tillage Practices Grown under

Rice-wheat Cropping System, Universal Journal of Plant Science 1(4): 125-131.

Malik, R. K., Ashok Yadav, R. S. Banga and Samar Singh (2000). Zero-till wheatsowing and alternate herbicides against resistant Phalaris minor in Rice-WheatCropping System. Indian J. Weed Scie. 32 (3 &4) : 220-222

Singh Papu, Sweta Singh, B. R. Singh (2012), Performance of Zero-Till Drill for

Wheat Cultivation at Farmer’s Fields, International Journal of Science

and Research 3:358.

Tripathi R.S., Raju R. and Thimmappa K. (2013) Impact of Zero Tillage on Economicsof Wheat Production in Haryana, Agricultural Economics Research Review 26(1):101-108.

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