A Review on the Effects of Conservation Tillage on Soil Loss and PhysicoChemical Properties

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.