Direct Sowing of Crops with Conservation Agricultural Machinery
Conservation agriculture (CA) machinery is an important and primary tool designed to support CA practices. By definition, its main goal is to create a soil environment that is conducive to plant growth, which is related to soil conservation. The effect of tillage on soil erosion is a function of its multiple effects on the soil such as aggregation, surface sealing, infiltration, and destruction of erosion-resistant soil structure. Tillage operations either under excessive tillage or inappropriate soil moisture conditions increase energy use and soil credibility, leading to considerable soil loss. The following points should be considered to achieve the best energy and soil conservation results.
Principles of CA: The goals of CA are to improve soil health, boost productivity, and reduce environmental impact in order to support sustainable farming practices. The three core principles are:
1. Minimal soil disturbance: Farmers minimize tillage, which includes avoiding plowing or turning the soil, which helps maintain soil structure, reduce erosion, and increase water retention. By minimizing tillage, organic matter remains intact within the soil, promoting a healthy environment for beneficial microorganisms.
2. Permanent soil cover: The soil is kept covered throughout the year using cover crops or crop residues left over from previous crops. Permanent soil cover prevents soil erosion, reduces water evaporation, suppresses weed growth, and increases organic matter, and improves soil fertility.
3. Diverse crop rotations: Farmers practice crop rotation and often plant different crops in the same field. Crop rotation reduces the build-up of pests and diseases, and improves soil structure. Crop rotation also helps break the pest and disease cycle and promotes a healthy ecosystem within the farm.
Conservation Agricultural Machinery
1. Zero seed till drill: Zero Till Seed and Fertilizer Drill is a popular choice for sowing various crops like maize, wheat, peas, and mustard. It offers durability, high speed, and performance, making it easy to operate and handle. As a leading Indian manufacturer, it is highly sought after.
2. Happy Seeder: With its innovative method of planting wheat without burning rice residue, the Happy Seeder conserves water and the environment. Burning rice waste is bad for the environment, animals, and people since it lowers soil fertility. The Happy Seeder is the most successful implement for sowing wheat in rice residue without burning, ensuring soil health and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
3. Pre-emergence cum inclined plate planter: The developed machine is suitable for herbicide application and simultaneously planting of wide-spaced crops like maize, soybean, pigeon pea, etc. Based on the suggestions of farmers and scientists of IISS, the planter has been modified for its larger tank capacity of 200 l in place of 80 l so that, it can contain the chemical for a one-acre area. Number of tines was increasing from 6 to 8 to increase the field capacity of the machine. Primary evaluation of this modified planter for stability and spraying performance was carried out in Institute field.
4. Slit-till-drill: The slit-till drill is a ten-row seed-cum-fertilizer drill with a rotary blade attachment for minimal soil manipulation. It operates on a tractor with 50 or higher horsepower. The rotary attachment consists of a frame with a rotor with six blades, and power is provided from the tractor PTO through a speed reduction gearbox and chain and sprocket drive. The attachment is protected by an MS sheet cover and reduces soil cover over the seed.
5. Mulcher-cum-seed drill: A nine-row mulcher cum zero till drill machine for sowing various crops in CA condition. This machine has an inverted T-type furrow opener. Adjustable row-to-row spacing can be achieved. The most common fluted roller-type metering mechanism is used for variety of seed sowing. It is capable of working in 100% residue condition. The working width of the machine is 1800 mm.
Benefits of Conservation Agricultural (CA)
Enhanced soil quality involves soil composition and higher levels of organic materials and microbial presence.
Improving water efficiency involves enhancing water retention to decrease the reliance, on irrigation systems.
Reduced erosion occurs when there is disruption, to the soil cover which helps in safeguarding against erosion caused by wind and water movements.
Building resilience to weather like droughts and floods is essential, for adapting to climate challenges.
Economic effectiveness is achieved through cost savings by using fertilizers and pesticides while reducing fuel consumption.
Advantages of Conservation Agricultural (CA)
Enhanced soil quality promotes soil structure and supports increased organic content and microbial activity, for healthier and more robust soils.
Having a cover, over the soil and avoiding excessive disturbance can notably lower the chances of erosion caused by wind and water thereby minimizing soil erosion as a whole.
Improved soil structure and the use of cover crops help to enhance water infiltration and retention by reducing evaporation-an aspect of water conservation efforts.
Cost efficiency is enhanced as there is requirement for tillage operations leading to decreased expenses on fuel and labor costs while also benefiting from increased soil fertility that can potentially lessen the dependence on chemical inputs such, as fertilizers and pesticides.
Enhancing biodiversity, on the farm involves using crop rotations and cover crops to create a richer ecosystem that attracts helpful insects and lowers pest levels.
Enhancing soil quality and effective water management can help crops withstand climate conditions, like droughts and intense rainfall boosting their resilience to climate variability.
Disadvantages of Conservation Agricultural (CA)
Initial transition costs: The transition to CA may require new machinery (like no-till planters) and learning new farming techniques.
Weed and pest management challenges: Without regular tillage, weed control can become more difficult, and certain pests may thrive under the permanent soil cover.
Delayed economic benefits: The benefits of CA, such as improved soil fertility, often take several years to become fully apparent.
Dependence on cover crops: Successful CA often depends on the effective use of cover crops, which requires careful planning and management.
Possibility of higher usage of herbicides: No-till systems may rely more heavily on chemical pesticides to effectively control weeds.
Suitability to specific climates and soils: Certain soil types and climates may not respond to conservation agricultural techniques in the same way, especially in regions that are extremely cold or have inadequate drainage.
Read also: Benefits of Soil Health Card Scheme to the Farmers
Conclusion
CA offers significant long-term benefits for soil health, environmental sustainability, and farm profitability. But making the switch to these methods necessitates carefully weighing the drawbacks, especially the upfront expenses, managing weeds and pests, and the amount of time required to get the benefits.
Dr. Anurag Patel
Assistant Professor
School of Agriculture,
SAGE University, Bhopal