Conservation tillage techniques in modern agriculture helping reduce emissions

ENERGY AND AGRICULTURE

Looking into modern farm practices offers a great opportunity to explore the relationships between the natural resources required to grow our food, including energy, water, and soil.

On today’s farms, soil health is very important for farmers. A prime example is the growing trend of farmers adopting no-till (which means no plowing of the soil) and reduced-till (reduced plowing), which results in a reduction in energy use.

Two Types of Energy Savings

When farmers adopt no-till or reduced-till practices, they leave the previous year’s crop residue on top of the soil, instead of plowing it under. In traditional tillage systems, farmers plow the soil to control weeds and prepare the soil bed for planting. With improved equipment technology and the wide variety weed-control tools available today, plowing has become less necessary. Where no-till or reduced till is a viable option, it helps farmers reduce soil erosion, surface disruption and ultimately reduce energy use in two different ways:

Improved Water Infiltration

Conservation tillage also reduces erosion and improves the soil’s ability to absorb water and hold it. As a result, less topsoil is lost. On irrigated cropland, less energy is required for watering because plant residue can help to hold moisture in the soil for crops to use.

Carbon Sequestration In Soil

During tillage, the breaking up of the soil causes carbon to be released into the atmosphere, where it can negatively affect the climate. Leaving soil undisturbed reduces the release of carbon and its impact. When undisturbed and left in the soil, carbon forms the building blocks for the nutrients the crops will need during the next growing season. The less disturbance of the soil, the better it is for soil health.