This document provides information about Dr. K. Vanangamudi and his background and credentials. It then summarizes various tillage practices including conventional tillage, conservation tillage, minimal tillage, and zero tillage. It describes the advantages and disadvantages of minimal tillage practices and provides examples of different types of minimal tillage including row zone tillage, plough plant tillage, and wheel track planting. The document concludes with questions about the effects of minimal tillage and examples of how it can be practiced.

1. Dr. K. VANANGAMUDI, Ph. D., Post. Doc (USA)
Formerly Dean (Agriculture), Agri. College & Research Institute, TNAU,
Coimbatore,
Dean, Adhiparashakthi Agricultural College, Kalavai
Professor & Head, Seed Science& Technology,
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore-641003, Tamil Nadu.
e-mail: vanangamudi.tnau@gmail.com
Website: https://trinityculturalacademy.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWGv08j5jaZ-nkvz46HrBVw

2. Tillage
• Mechanical manipulation of soil structure
• In conventional tillage - energy is often wasted and
sometimes, soil structure is destroyed.
• To overcome this, several new concepts introduced
namely
 Minimum tillage
 Zero tillage
 Stubble mulch tillage
Minimal Tillage Practices

3. Conventional tillage Conservation tillage

4. Minimal tillage - How ?
• Reducing tillage operations to minimum to
ensure good seed bed for rapid germination and
satisfactory crop stand.
• Omitting few operations that do not give much
benefit
• Soil disturbance to a lesser extent
• Combining two or more agricultural operations.
Eg. Seed cum fertilizer drill.

5. Reducing tillage operations

6. Advantages Disadvantages
 In-situ decomposition of
plant residues to improve soil
conditions.
 To improve high infiltration
 Less resistance to root
growth
 Less soil compaction
 Less soil erosion
 Low germination of seeds
 Application of more
nitrogen as the rate of
decomposition of organic
matter is low
 Reduction in nodulation of
legume crops.
 Continuous use of
herbicides cause pollution
 Difficulty in sowing

7. Different methods of minimal tillage
Types of minimal
tillage
Row zone tillage
Plough plant tillage
Wheel track planting

8. Row zone tillage
• After primary tillage with mould board plough,
secondary tillage like disking and harrowing are
reduced
• Secondary tillage is done in row zone only

9. Plough plant tillage
• After ploughing, special planter is used to
pulverize row zone and sow the seeds.
Wheel track planting
• Tractor is used for sowing and wheels
pulverize the row zone.

10. Zero or No tillage
Primary tillage is
completely avoided.
Secondary tillage is
restricted to prepare
seed beds in row
zone only.
4 task in 1operation
• Clean a narrow
strip over crop row
• Open soil for seed
sowing
• Place the seed in
crop row
• Cover the seed
properly
Herbicides like
glyphosphate and
paraquat are used in
larger extent to
destroy vegetation.
Till planting - one
method in zero
tillage.
Major advantage –
reduces the soil
erosion.
Keeps 50-75% of
residue on the soil
surface

11. Stubble mulch tillage
• Leaving stubble or crop residue essentially
in place on the land as a surface cover
during a fallow period.
• Prevent soil erosion from wind or water
• Conserve soil moisture
• Reduce CO2 emission

12. Q & A
Minimal tillage causes
a. Low infiltration b. High resistance to root growth
c. Less soil compaction d. Higher soil erosion
Minimal tillage can be practised by
a. Complete disc ploughingb. Row zone tillage
c. Complete disc harrowing d. Complete cultivator ploughing

13. FOR pdf and Online tests
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•91 9894904745 (WhatsApp)
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Mail me @
vanangamudi.tnau@gmail.com