Course Content
Crop Production (Unit 6)
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ASRB NET / SRF / Ph.D. Agronomy
Conservation Agriculture (CA)

Concept & Definition

  • Conservation agriculture is a resource-efficient, sustainable crop production system aimed at achieving high productivity while conserving soil, water, and biodiversity.
  • FAO defines CA as “a concept for resource-saving agricultural crop production that strives to achieve acceptable profits together with high and sustained production levels while concurrently conserving the environment.”

In short: “Produce more with less” while protecting the natural resource base.

 

Basic Principles of CA

  • Minimal Soil Disturbance; No-tillage or reduced tillage. Avoid ploughing, to preserve soil structure, reduce erosion, and save energy.
  • Permanent Soil Cover; Maintain residue mulch (crop residues, cover crops). Prevents erosion, conserves moisture, improves soil organic matter.
  • Diverse Crop Rotations/Associations; Rotations with legumes, cover crops, and intercropping. Enhances biodiversity, breaks pest/disease cycles, improves nutrient use efficiency.

 

Key Practices in Conservation Agriculture

  • Zero Tillage (ZT): Direct seeding without prior soil disturbance.
  • Residue Retention: 30–50% of crop residues kept on soil surface.
  • Crop Diversification: Use of legumes, cover crops, intercropping.
  • Integrated Nutrient Management (INM): Balanced use of organic & inorganic fertilizers.
  • Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
  • Efficient Water Management: Laser land leveling, micro-irrigation, rainwater harvesting.
  • Precision Farming Tools: Herbicide application, site-specific nutrient management.

 

Benefits of Conservation Agriculture

(A) Soil Health

  • Improves soil organic carbon and microbial activity.
  • Reduces erosion and soil compaction.
  • Enhances soil structure and porosity.

(B) Water Conservation

  • Improves infiltration and water-holding capacity.
  • Reduces evaporation losses (residue cover).
  • Enhances water use efficiency (WUE).

(C) Crop Productivity & Sustainability

  • Stabilizes yields across years.
  • Improves Sustainability Yield Index (SYI).
  • Reduces input costs (fuel, labor, irrigation).

(D) Environmental Benefits

  • Reduces GHG emissions (less CH₄ & CO₂ from tillage).
  • Carbon sequestration in soils.
  • Reduces air pollution (avoids stubble burning).

(E) Economic & Social Benefits

  • Lower cost of cultivation.
  • Higher B:C ratio.
  • Saves time (faster sowing of wheat after rice).

 

Constraints in Adoption of CA

  • Farmers’ reluctance due to traditional mindset.
  • Lack of appropriate machinery (zero-till drills, residue managers).
  • Weed infestation (due to no tillage, reliance on herbicides).
  • Initial cost of CA machinery is high.
  • Lack of awareness, training, and policy support.

 

Examples in India

  • Rice–Wheat System (Indo-Gangetic Plains): Zero tillage wheat after rice → reduces turnaround time, improves yield stability, saves water and fuel. Residue retention helps prevent stubble burning in Punjab & Haryana.
  • Maize–Wheat/Maize–Legume Systems: Improved soil fertility, better water productivity.
  • CA in rainfed regions: Use of cover crops and mulching to conserve moisture.

 

Conservation Agriculture vs. Conventional Agriculture

Aspect

Conventional Agriculture

Conservation Agriculture

Tillage

Intensive ploughing

Zero/Minimum tillage

Residues

Removed/burned

Retained as mulch

Cropping

Monoculture

Diversified (rotation, intercropping)

Soil Health

Declines over time

Improves soil structure & fertility

Input use

High fuel, labor, inputs

Reduced inputs, efficient use

Environment

More GHG emissions

Reduced emissions, carbon sequestration

 

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