Reduced tillage

Reduced tillage generally refers to any tillage system that is less intensive and that employs fewer trips across a field than traditional tillage. Reduced tillage is a category used in Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) surveys for systems that maintain at least 15 percent but less than 30 percent coverage by surface residue after planting.

Conservation tillage

Conservation tillage is an overarching term for any method of soil cultivation that leaves crop residue on the soil surface, rather than plowing it in. Conservation tillage systems are generally defined as those that maintain at least 30% of the soil surface covered with residue.

No-till

In no-till systems, the soil is left untilled throughout the growing season. Soil is disturbed only at planting by coulters or seed disk openers on seeders or drills, and weed control is accomplished with herbicides. “Direct seeding” is a synonym for no-till that is commonly used in small grain production systems of the northwest United States, Canada, and Brazil.

Strip-tillage

Strip-till systems are a variation of no-till in which just the seed row is tilled prior to planting to allow residue removal, soil drying and warming in the planting zone.

Ridge-till

In ridge-till systems, crops are planted on permanent ridges about 4-6 inches high. The previous crop's residue is cleared off ridge-tops into adjacent furrows at planting to create a good seed bed. Maintaining the ridges is essential and requires modified or specialized equipment. Weed control is accomplished by herbicides, cultivation, or both.

Mulch-till

Mulch-tillage is another general term for any other systems not classified as no-till, strip-till, or ridge-till. As with conservation tillage the threshold is 30 percent or more surface residue cover. Mulch-tillage can employ conventional tillage implements, but with limited passes across a field.