Tillage and Land Preparation

TILLAGE AND LAND
PREPARATION
Instr. Nikki Charm A. Deronio
LAND PREPARATION
Land preparation forms the foundation of all

farming activities. The probability of successful
cultivation on a piece of land increases if the
land is prepared diligently.
 Land preparation is to improve potential tree
growth, survival, and uniformity of a crop
about to be established (planted)
WHAT IS TILLAGE?
Defined as Mechanical modification of soil structure

resulting in a soil tilth that is suitable for seed
germination and plant growth.
Tillage is the physical manipulation of the soil with

tools and implements to result in good tilth for better
germination and subsequent growth of crops.
ADVANTAGES OF TILLAGE
1. Provide a suitable environment for seed germination

2. Roots growth, soil aeration, soil compaction
3. Weed control/ Destroy Weeds
4. Control Insects and Pest
5. Bury Stubbles
6. Moisture Control
7. Soil erosion Control
DISADVANTAGES OF TILLAGE
 Destroys the soil cover and its structure

 Enhances soil erosion
 High moisture loss
 Disrupts the lifecycle of beneficial soil organisms
 Needs more labor cost for the soil preparation
OPERATIONS
Land preparation may include several operations, which are only
options. For instance, in undeveloped inland valleys, the option
often chosen is ‘zero-tillage’: the field is cleared and flooded for
one to two months before transplanting without plowing or
leveling
OPERATIONS
Land preparation needs to be done in a very effective way to
ensure that it produces a high yield and minimizes losses.
Before you start cultivating the land, you need to put in some effort
to clear the land.
OPERATIONS
Land clearing and weeding the field - can be done either
manually ( by hand) or mechanically (by machine).
Land clearing is the growth of land to develop a potential use for
agricultural purposes. Land clearing requires the removal of native
surfaces ‒ including trees, bushes, and boulders ‒ from the land
surface. After removing the surface, the land is later broken to
produce a workable bed which can be then used to grow the crops
and where crops can be seeded more productively.
OPERATIONS
Pre-irrigation
Pre-irrigating involves flooding the field for 2 to 3 days before
the first plowing to moisten the soil and facilitate plowing.
OPERATIONS
First plowing
Plowing may be done by hand with a traditional hoe, by
tractor or with an animal-drawn plow.
 Depth of plowing should be about 10–15 cm. Superficial plowing
will not favor plant development, while plowing too deeply may
bury nutrients beyond the reach of rice roots.
 First plowing should ideally be done a few weeks before sowing
to allow enough time for the weed and crop residues to
decompose.
OPERATIONS
Flooding
After plowing, the field is flooded for about 2 to 3 weeks to kill
insects and weeds. Some weed grains may germinate but these will
be destroyed at the time of the second plowing. In phosphorus-
deficient soils, it is advisable to apply a fertilizer containing
phosphorus. just before the second plowing. Applying compost or
any other source of organic matter may also help fill nutrient
deficiencies.
OPERATIONS
Leveling
Leveling facilitates water management and weed control.
Leveling is usually done in two phases:
A first rough leveling to lower the higher parts of the
field, from which soil will be spread out over the lower
areas.
A second more precise leveling after plowing and
flooding.
SEEDBED
A bed of fine soil in which seedlings are germinated

SEEDBED
1. Place where seeds germinated & nourish young

plants.
2. Must be firm to all seeds to come in contract with soil
particles t absorb moisture.
3. Must be pourous to allow air and water, root
development and water movement
4. Water will not easily penetrate hard soil to get to roots
SEEDBED CHARACTERISTICS
1. If the is too loose, rain will wash away young plants.

2. Some soils have excess water
3. Oxygen is needed by roots.
4. Plants residues on surface insulates, war, up slower
also provide buffer against wind.
TILLAGE EQUIPMENT/MACHINERIES
Tools or implements used to do a tillage job.

ADVANTAGES OF USING TILLAGE
EQUIPMENT
1. Various types of farm work can be done
2. Better quality of job can be obtained
3. Various of farm soil can be cultivated
4. Working time can be reduced
5. Working schedule at farm can be arranged and
smoothly done.
CULTIVATION
Defined as an operation that requires some kind of tools
that will stir surface of the soil to allow depth in such a
manner that young weeds will be destroyed and crop
growth is promoted.
Usually begins soon after emergence of young seedlings

as weeds generally emerge about the same the as the
crop.
PLOW
One of the oldest agriculture equipment and is generally

considered to be the most important tillage tool
It is used to cut, turn up and break up soil while turning

over weeds.
TILLAGE CLASSIFICATION
1. Primary Tillage
2. Secondary Tillage
3. SeedBed preparation
PRIMARY TILLAGE VS SECONDARY TILLAGE
Primary tillage implements: Secondary tillage

implements:
• Mould board ploughs,Disc
ploughs. • Rotavators rotary tillers are
• Sub-soilers Chisel
used for rice cultivation.
ploughs. • Puddler, bund former and
planker
• Animal drawn puddlers, power
tiller operated puddlers, and
tractor operated puddlers are
mostly used for puddling rice
fields.
PRIMARY TILLAGE
Tillage applied to break compaction soil into soil.

More aggressive, deeper operation and usually leaves the
surface rough.
 Initial soil breaking ploughing and
manipulating of top 15-90 cm soil
 It ensures burying of weeds and stubbles
PRIMARY TILLAGE
Function :
1. Loose the soil structure
2. Bury the plants waste
3. Erosion control
4. Preparation for secondary tillage
5. Weed control
6. Kill pest
PRIMARY TILLAGE
1.Moldboard plow
Mostly used for primary tillage .

Design to turn the furrow slices
PRIMARY TILLAGE
2. Disc ploughs
Disc plow was brought out in an effort to reduce friction by

making a rolling bottom instead of a bottom that would slide
along the furrow.
Consists of a service of
individual mounted,
inclined disc blades
PRIMARY TILLAGE
3. Sub-soilers 4. chisel ploughs
SECONDARY TILLAGE
Tillage applied to reduce the aggregates and to level surface

after done with.
Works the soil to shallow depth
lighter and finer operations performed on the soil after
primary tillage operations
 Seedbed preparation and intercultural
operations up to a depth of 15 cm.
 It provides breaking of clods and mixing of
crop residues.
After secondary tillage operation, the land is
ready for sowing / planting.
SECONDARY TILLAGE
Function:
1.Break the soil clods
2. Shatters the soil clods
3. Level the soil surface
4. Harrow the soil and plant waste (stubbles)
5. Firm the soil
6. Kill weeds and helps conserve moisture
SECONDARY TILLAGE
Rotary tillers or cultivator
Cause the soil slices to

disintegrate into fine
aggregates
SECONDARY TILLAGE
Cage wheel
SECONDARY TILLAGE
Spike tooth Harrow
 Effective in killing small weeds

 Used to finishing the seedbed
by smoothing it and breaking the
surface clods,
 Covering boardcasted seeds.
SECONDARY TILLAGE
Bund former
SECONDARY TILLAGE
Planker
TYPES OF SOIL TILLAGE
1. Conventional tillage
2. Conservation Tillage
Methods of conservation tillage
 Zero Tillage
 Ridge Tillage
 Mulch Tillage
1. CONVENTIONAL TILLAGE
Conventional tillage is the series of operations used in a

particular geographic area to produce a specific crop. The
processes used differ greatly depending on the crops and
regions.
The cultivation of the soil using plow, harrow and other farm
tools or mechanical implements to prepare the field for crop
production.
CONVENTIONAL TILLAGE
Advantages
 Destroys pests' shelters and disrupts their lifecycles
 Exposes pests to predators and unfavorable conditions
 Distributes soil nutrients throughout the soil
 Aerates the soil
 Controls weeds
 Makes other farm cultural practices easier to undertake
CONVENTIONAL TILLAGE
Disadvantages
 Destroys the soil cover and its structure
 Enhances soil erosion
 High moisture loss
 Disrupts the lifecycle of beneficial soil organisms
 Needs more labor cost for the soil preparation
CONSERVATIONAL TILLAGE
Conservation tillage systems are a type of land preparation

that has the potential to preserve the soil and water and it
does so by reducing the loss of soil and water, unlike
conventional tillage.
Conservation tillage integrates a range of residue

management and no-till or reduced tillage practices.
The planting or sowing in the previous crop's residues that

are purposely left on the soil surface.
Advantages
 Conserves water. The mulch reduces water to evaporate.
 Reduces erosion because the topsoil is protected.
 Reduces soil compaction.
 Protects impact from rain and wind.
 Improves the soil condition with the increased organic matter content.
 Natural enemies have places to stay.
 Lessens the overall production cost
Disadvantages
 Needs a thorough understanding of the concept and requires careful
farm management practices to be successful.
 Most soil pests populations are increased.
 Weeds compete with the main crops.
Advantages
 High tendency of a carryover of the insect pests and diseases from the
crop residues.
 Organic matters are not evenly distributed or are concentrated at the
topsoil.
 It needs patience and waits a longer time to have an excellent soil.
METHODS OF CONSERVATION TILLAGE
1. Zero tillage (no-till, minimum tillage, or direct
seeding).
A system where the soil is not disturbed between
harvesting one crop and planting the next. It is a crop
production where the soil is not traditionally tilled or
cultivated although sticks or other planting equipments are
used to make the openings for seeds.
2. Ridge tillage
A specific form of no-till wherein a new crop is planted on
pre-formed ridges or hills or bunds from those of the previous
crop. After harvest, the crop residues are left until the planting
time. The seeds are sown along the ridges. Sticks or other
farms tools are used to make the openings for seeds.
2. Ridge tillage
3. Mulch tillage (stubble mulch tillage).
Any system that ensures a maximum retention of crop
residues (30% or more) on the soil surface. The soil is
prepared in such a way that plant residues or other
mulching materials are specifically left on or near the
surface of the farm
4. Minimum Tillage- it involves considerable soil disturbance
but to lessen extent than conventional tillage. Some crop
residues is left on the soil surface . Minimum tillage is also called
reduced tillage.
TILLAGE PATTERNS
Reduce the time spent in non-productive work; minimize the
number of turns and maximize the length of the tillage runs.
TYPES OF TILLAGE PATTERNS
1. Circuitous pattern- used with moldboards, discs, and offsets
dics, most animals are accustomed to working; ends ups with a
large cut out furrow in the center- difficult to drain and get even
depth of cultivation.
2. Up and back/Headland pattern- rubs parallel to each other;
used for tined implements, rotavators, harrows, and reversible
plows, most field efficient systems and if equipment is correctly
set up and operated it should not leave furrows in the field.
3. Land system – plowing to begin in the center of the field and
work out to the edges; requires measurement of the field to
establish the center point; used with all types of plow.

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TILLAGE AND LAND

Land preparation forms the foundation of all

Defined as Mechanical modification of soil structure

Tillage is the physical manipulation of the soil with

1. Provide a suitable environment for seed germination

 Destroys the soil cover and its structure

A bed of fine soil in which seedlings are germinated

1. Place where seeds germinated & nourish young

1. If the is too loose, rain will wash away young plants.

Tools or implements used to do a tillage job.

Usually begins soon after emergence of young seedlings

One of the oldest agriculture equipment and is generally

It is used to cut, turn up and break up soil while turning

Primary tillage implements: Secondary tillage

Tillage applied to break compaction soil into soil.

Mostly used for primary tillage .

Disc plow was brought out in an effort to reduce friction by

Tillage applied to reduce the aggregates and to level surface

Cause the soil slices to

 Effective in killing small weeds

Conventional tillage is the series of operations used in a

Conservation tillage systems are a type of land preparation

Conservation tillage integrates a range of residue

The planting or sowing in the previous crop's residues that

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