Land preparation for seeding or
planting under no-tillage involves
slashing or rolling the weeds,
previous crop residues or cover
crops; or spraying herbicides for
weed control, and seeding directly
through the mulch. Crop residues
are retained either completely or to
a suitable amount to guarantee the
complete soil cover, and fertilizer and
amendments are either broadcast
on the soil surface or applied during
seeding.
• Soil organic cover
Keeping the soil covered is a
fundamental principle of CA. Crop
residues are left on the soil surface,
but cover crops may be needed if the
gap is too long between harvesting
one crop and establishing the next.
Cover crops improve the stability of the CA
system, not only on the improvement of
soil properties but also for their capacity to
promote an increased biodiversity in the
agro-ecosystem.
Photo Credit: David Croft
While commercial crops have a market
value, cover crops are mainly grown
for their effect on soil fertility or as
livestock fodder. In regions where
smaller amounts of biomass are
produced, such as semi-arid regions
or areas of eroded and degraded soils,
cover crops are beneficial as they
protect the soil during fallow periods.
In doing this they not only mobilize
and recycle nutrients, but also help
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