HGCA has issued new information to aid decision making on the adoption of no-till cultivation. The new publication provides information on the potential positive and negative effects of adopting no-till practices, including how such practices may influence diffuse pollution.

The Information Sheet, compiled following recent research, indicates that drier and more stable soils are most suitable for no-till cultivation. It also explains how changing cultivation method affects weed control, compaction and crop establishment.

HGCA Research and Knowledge Transfer manager Shamal Mohammed said, “Soils are notoriously complex and variable and predicting what might happen following the adoption of no-till cultivations has always been a challenge. The new publication is based on the latest scientific research and represents one of the most reliable sources of no-till information to date."

No-till farming involves sowing directly into the residues of the previous crop. The practice is advocated by green farmers, including Masanobu Fukuoka, who promoted the practice in his book the One Straw Revolution. Advocates claim the practice increases soil health, reduces environmental impact through storing carbon and reduces costs.

However, weed control can be a problem with the no-till approach and there is greater variability in yield depending on climatic conditions, especially in the first two years after adopting the approach.

The information sheet is available here 

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