Tillage simplifications

Currently, in agriculture, there is a focus on cost reduction. One of the most costly and time-intensive practices is ploughing. Consequently, an increasing number of farmers are abandoning it. Simplified cultivation aims to mitigate the environmental impact of agriculture, enhance soil quality, decrease erosion, and save time and energy. This approach demands meticulous planning and adaptation to specific soil and climatic conditions, requiring farmers to pay closer attention and possess greater knowledge about soil health and the agricultural ecosystem. Ploughless cultivation is challenging but worthwhile, as it offers numerous benefits.
Properly applied, ploughless farming yields benefits in two primary areas:

- Soil quality, proper no-plough cultivation practice translates into high soil quality, positively affecting agricultural yields, especially in low rainfall years. Practically, two adjacent fields, cultivated by different farmers in dry years, may show significant yield differences favoring no-plough cultivation. This occurs when the farmer maintains high organic matter in the soil, facilitating substantial water accumulation, crucial in dry periods.

- Biological activity in soil. Traditional ploughing disrupts beneficial aerobic microorganisms by relocating them into deeper soil layers, where they perish from a lack of oxygen. Furthermore, ploughing negatively affects earthworms, making them vulnerable to predation by birds, thereby reducing their population. Avoiding plough cultivation is especially advantageous in areas prone to water and wind erosion, as it promotes the preservation of a healthy soil ecosystem.