Tillage practices

1. PRIMARY TILLAGE:
The initial major soil working operation designed to plough the soil deeply to reduce soil
strength, cover plant materials and rearrange aggregates is called primary tillage.
Objectives of primary tillage
 To reduce soil strength
 To rearrange aggregates
 To cover plant materials and burry weeds
 To kill insects and pests
PLOUGH
The main implement used for primary tillage is a plough. Ploughing essentially consists of
opening the upper crust of the soil, breaking the clods and making the soil suitable for
sowing seeds. The purpose of ploughing can be summarized as follows
 To obtain a deep seed bed of good texture.
 To increase the water holding capacity of the soil.
 To improve soil aeration.
 To destroy weeds and grasses.
 To destroy insects and pests.
 To prevent soil erosion and
 To add fertility to the soil by covering vegetation.