World Soil Day, on 5 December, gives us the chance to reflect on the importance of maintaining and improving the health of our soils. This year, the slogan is "Caring for Soils: Measure, Monitor and Manage", highlighting the importance of having accurate and up-to-date data on soils in order to take informed decisions that ensure sustainable management. One of the most effective and sustainable measures for achieving this is minimum tillage.

What is Minimum Tillage?

Minimum tillage is a farming technique that involves reducing soil disturbance to a minimum during cultivation work. Unlike conventional tillage, which stirs and turns the soil over, minimum tillage keeps the soil structure as intact as possible, using tools that only disturb the surface of the soil.

Benefits of Minimum Tillage

1.Reduced Soil Erosion: By minimising soil disturbance, the soil is less exposed to the elements, significantly reducing the erosion caused by wind and water. This is crucial for maintaining the upper layer of the soil, which is rich in nutrients.

2.Improved Soil Structure: Minimum tillage helps to preserve the natural soil structure, promoting the formation of stable aggregates that improve water infiltration and moisture retention. This is particularly beneficial in areas prone to drought.

3.Increased Organic Matter: By leaving residues from previous crops on the surface, the soil's organic matter is increased. These residues act as a protective layer and as they decompose, they enrich the soil with essential nutrients.

4.Conservation of Soil Biodiversity: Minimum tillage favours the soil's biological activity, including beneficial microorganisms and worms, which play a vital role in the decomposition of organic matter and nutrient healing.

5.Reduced Carbon Emissions: By avoiding intensive tillage, the release of carbon stored in the soil into the atmosphere is reduced, helping to mitigate climate change.

Bellota Agrisolutions has various products to help you adapt to minimum tillage or even vertical tillage. Vortex discs, for example, are vertical tillage discs with different wave heights, according to the chosen tilling width. These discs are ideal for tilling the soil without turning it over, so that the different soil layers do not mix. You achieve a good cut on the surface and an ideal mix of organic residues, thus protecting the soil from erosion. Under the soil, you obtain a soil well prepared for planting, completely oxygenated and aerated to allow roots to grow in perfect conditions.

VT-REX discs, on the other hand, have an extremely sharp edge in order to cut the previous crop residue much more easily, while obtaining deep penetration into the soil. This disc is also common in vertical tillage, where you can till at a higher speed than normal, reducing fuel consumption.

Another way of reducing soil erosion is by using cultivators with a greater angle of attack, so they do not enter the soil so steeply. For example, the 1512 cultivator has an angle of attack of 47º, while the universal V-shaped sweep has an angle of 35º.

Other UN guidelines for World Soil Day, as well as adopting minimum tillage techniques, are crop rotation, the addition of organic matter, using cover crops, including microorganisms to preserve soil biodiversity and implementing practices that increase soil carbon sequestration.

Conclusion

Minimum tillage is a farming technique that offers numerous benefits for soil health and the environment. By reducing erosion, improving the soil structure, increasing organic matter and conserving biodiversity, this practice is presented as a sustainable solution for overcoming the challenges of soil degradation. On this World Soil Day, it is essential to promote and adopt practices such as minimum tillage to ensure a healthier and more sustainable future for our soils and our planet.