Abstract:
Abstract
The populations of semiarid regions have doubled in the past three decades and are still
growing rapidly. These increases have not been accompanied by similar rises in food production. The
pressing need to assure an adequate and reliable food supply is obvious. Tillage has been an important
aspect of technological development in the evolution of agriculture, in particular in food production.
Use of excessive and unnecessary tillage operations is often harmful to soil. Therefore, currently there
is a significance interest and emphasis on the shift to the conservation and no-tillage methods. This
paper aims to review
different conservation tillage practices with their effects on physico-chemical
properties of soil and soil loss. Research reports have identified several effects of conservation tillage
over conventional tillage (CT) with respect to soil physical, chemical properties and soil loss as well as
crop yields. The values eroded materials from the drainage scale were significantly less in the no-till
system compared to the inversion tillage system where, more runoff (over 12 times) and more eroded
material (54 times) were produced. Soil chemical properties of the surface layer are generally more
favorable under the no till method than under the tilled soil. conservation tillage effects on crop yields
is related to its effects on root growth water and nutrient use efficiencies.
