Conservation
tillage is a tillage system that leaves at least 30 per cent of the soil surface
covered by crop residue after harvest to protect the soil from erosion by water
and wind. Types of conservation tillage include mulch tillage, ridge tillage,
and no-tillage. In addition to reducing soil erosion and improving water
quality, other benefits of conservation tillage include improving the quality
of agricultural soil by increasing organic matter, sequestering carbon, and
providing habitat and food for wildlife.
Contour
farming and terracing refer to farming sloping land in sucha way that maximum
planting area ispreserved following establishedgrades or construction of
earthembankments or channels.
Cover or
green manure crops are close-growing grasses, legumes, or small grains grown
primarily for seasonal protection or soil improvement. When these crops are
plowed into the field, they add organic matter and improve infiltration,
aeration, and tilth.
Grass and
legumes in rotation are planted and maintained for a definite number of years as
part of a conservation cropping system.
Filter
strips
are vegetative areas for removing sediment, organic matter, and other
pollutants from runoff and wastewater. Filter strips are typically applied at
the lower edge of fields, on fields, on pastures, or in manure-spreading areas
adjacent to water bodies.
