agriculture review
by aditya abhishek
You must have seen farmers ploughing or harrowing their fields before the plantation and after the harvest of crops. But do you know why it is essential?
“Physical manipulation of the soil” to create favourable conditions for the growth of crops is called Tillage. It can be practiced by ploughing, harrowing, rolling, raking, etc.
Practicing tillage help in creating ideal conditions for crop growth. It loosens the top soil layer and helps in aeration, favoring crop growth.
Weeds growing on farmland result in decreased yield & an increased risk of pests and diseases. But tillage helps in destroying weeds mechanically.
Tillage helps mix applied fertilizers, manures, and crop residues evenly into the soil. Hence it increases the chance of consistent crop growth.
After tillage, the upper layer of soil remains exposed to sunlight. It helps in destroying pests and diseases living in this soil layer.
Tillage helps break clods and remove rocks and other debris from farmland. Hence soil becomes loose, which results in good growth of crop roots.
But there are disadvantages too. Excessive tillage can lead to soil erosion, redcution in microbial population, loss of soil nutrients, etc.
thanks for reading!