Soil tillage
Management Activity
Soil tillage is the use of implements to manipulate the soil to prepare seedbeds and rootbeds, control weeds and brush, aerate the soil, and cause faster breakdown of organic matter and minerals to release plant foods (Soil Conservation Society of America, 1982).
The direct impacts of soil tillage may include:
- Reduced ground cover
- Soil nutrient loss
- Soil organism loss
- Increased soil compaction
- Soil structural decline
- Increased greenhouse gas emission from heavy machinery use
Last updated: 04 November 2008