Zero tillage

Zero Tillage

1. بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم University of Khartoum Faculty of Postgraduate M.Sc. Agricultural Engineering Seminar on : ZERO TILLAGE Presented by: Islam Elrayah Hassan Sdeig Mohammed Habeb Nossiba Abdullah September 2021

2. Outlines: Introduction Type of tillage Zero tillage Advantages of zero tillage Zero tillage practices around the world Zero tillage in Sudan Conclusion

3. Introduction: Tillage is the mechanical manipulation of soil with tools and implements for obtaining conditions ideal for seed germination, seedling establishment and growth of crops. Objectives of tillage: The main objectives of tillage are:

4. To prepare a good seed bed which helps the germination of seeds. To control the weeds effectively. To make the soil capable for absorbing more rain water.

5. T ypes of Tillage : There are many type of tillage , the main three type of tillage as follow: Conventional tillage: is a tillage system using cultivation as the major means of seedbed preparation and weed control.

6. https://www.grainsa.co.za/conventional-vs-minimum-tillage-and-its-effect-on-soil

7. Conservation tillage: any tillage and planting system that covers 30 percent or more of the soil surface with crop residue, after planting. CT is an agricultural management approach that aims to minimize the intensity of tillage operations in an effort to promote certain economic and environmental benefits.

8. https://blog-crop-news.extension.umn.edu/2019/11/plan-to-attend-2019-conservation.html

9. Zero tillage is one of a set of techniques used in conservation agriculture (CA), which aims to enhance and sustain farm production by conserving and improving soil, water and biological resources. Essentially, it maintains a permanent or semi-permanent organic soil cover. No -till or Zero tillage

10. https://precisionagricultu.re/no-till-farming-also-known-direct-drilling-or-zero-tillage/

11. Zero tillage: Zero tillage refers to a farming system of crop production where the soil is not tilled. Zero tillage was described as " one pass operation which place seed and fertilizer into an undisturbed seedbed packs of the furrow and retains adequate surface residues to prevent soil erosion.

12. Zero tillage is direct seeding without plowing or harrowing and using chemical treatments for weed control before and during growing season. Zero tillage as planting crops in previously unprepared soil by opening a narrow slot.

13. Advantages of zero tillage There are many advantages of zero tillage as follows: Moisture conservation Zero tillage improves the soil moisture on a field by trapping snow and reducing runoff of both snow and rain water Improved yields Zero till farmers are reluctant to boast of major increases in crop yields. The fact is that on average, yields are the same or higher with no-till than with conventional farming.

14. Reduced fuel Fuel savings result from land preparation operation, with harvest, processing and transportation remaining about equal with the various cultural systems is use. Reduced labor requirements Zero tillage will reduced labour requirement for the land preparation .

15. Erosion control No doubt that zero tillage have an advantage to reduce soil erosion by wind or/ and water. Infiltration rate Most producers and researchers have found more advantages and fewer management problems as the number of years in no-till increases.

16. Increase land use: The soil conservation service has recommended increasing the intensity of land use within capability classes when no-tillage systems are in use.

17. Machinery requirements for ZT system depending on area : Level of application Area to be planted fed (feddan) Types of Machinery required 1.Manual 1-50 Furrow opener (V-hoe) Small Sprayer(knapsack) 2. Fully Mechanized: a. Small scale 50-200 2 Rows ZT Planters 6 meter sprayers 60 HP Tractors b. Medium scale 200-1000 4- 6 Rows ZT Planters 12 meter sprayers 80 HP Tractors c. Large Scale 1000and above 8-12 Rows ZT Planters 12-24 meter sprayers 120 and 175 HP Tractor Source.(JAI, No.4, 2006).

18. Zero tillage practices around the world Zero tillage has been the focus of research in the United States as early as the 1940s and more intensively in the 1950s. In Europe, research into zero tillage began in the 1960s and in Brazil and Latin America research into the technology began in the early 1970s.

19. Today, zero tillage technology is widespread. Canada had some 4.1 million hectares of agricultural land under zero tillage in 1996, the fourth highest land area in the world . Only the United States (19.3 million hectares) Brazil (11.2 million hectares) and Argentina (7.3 million hectares) had more area under zero till

20. Zero tillage in Sudan It introduced by Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development ( AAID) in 2000 in Blue Nile. The successful application of zero tillage from investment view was in season 2005 in its project, which achieved overwhelmingly increasing in sesame from 175kg per feddan to 1100kg per feddan, sun flowers from 120 kg-519kg per feddan.

21. In Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development  project in Gadarif state the first time application of zero tillage system in 2004 in area about 6 million feddan and it achieved a higher yield.

22. References: Alnail (2005): M.Sc. Thesis evaluation of zero tillage in Gadarif area (Sudan). Naufal et all (2006). Experience of the Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment And Development in the adoption and dissemination of Zero tillage system to the traditional farmers in the Sudan, Journal of Agricultural investment Issue No, 4. Pp. 6-13.

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