TILTH & TILLAGE

1. TILTH & TILLAGE
TILTH
 Def’n. :-
The physical condition of soil, as related to –
 Its ease of tillage
 Fitness as a seedbed
 Its impedance to seedlings emergence & root penetration
It depends upon not only granulation and stability of soil; but, on another
factors, eg. moisture-content, degree of aeration, drainage & capillary water
capacity.Soil tilth is’nt static, as it changes rapidly due to slight change in
moisture content; which may alter workability of the soil .
From the field-point of view, an ideal tilth must have following salient features –
 There must be continuous system of wick pores downwards to the water
table either from soil surface or land drains; through which, excess water
become drained out .
 These pores must be sufficiently stable to last for several yrs. .
 Surface soil must be crumby & crumbs should be large enough; so that, it
is’nt blown away; but, small enough to allow a better germination .

TILLAGE
 Def’n. :-
It is the tilling of land or working of the surface soil to bring about the
conditions favourable for raising crop-plants. Tillage helps to provide a
favourable edaphic environment for the establishment, growth & yield of crop-
plants .
 Classifi’n. :-
Tillage is of broadly two kinds; viz. preparatory & special purpose tillage .

2. Former is further categorized into primary & secondary and later is further
categorized into zero & blind tillage respectively .
 Primary tillage is employed to cultivate a virgin or new land through
ploughing with either tractor or mould board or native-plough .

 Later on primary, the secondary is performed to bring a well tilth; through
harrowing, hoeing, ridging, etc. operations .

 Zero tillage refers to the crop-plants growth with minimum soil
disturbance; which involves control of undesirable vegetation by otherthan
mechanical meanses. Tilled soil dries rapidly than non tilled soil; hence,
in zero tillage system, the implement is worked immediately after crop
harvesting .

 Blind tillage means tillage of the soil after seeding or planting either at
pre-emergence or early growth stage without hampering the crop-plants
but uprooting of broadleafed weeds as well as extra plant-population .

 Merit(s) :-
 Contributes for improvement in Water(may be whatever, either irrigation
or rain-water) Holding Capacity of the soil .
 Accelerates soil-aeration & reduce erosion .
 Helps to improve the availability of plant nutrients through enhancing
decomposition of organic matter & detoxify soil from erratic appln. of
agrochemicals and to expel toxic gases from soil .
 Demerit(s) :-
Unless the field is prepared within required duration, soil may either lose
or gain moisture which makes the soil unworkable or sowing season will
become delayed, which means yield reduction .
Repeated tillage operation or indiscriminately given operation over larger
periods has detrimental effect on surface soil granules.
Frequent tillage after ploughing pulvarises the soils into dusts, which
encourage wind erosion .