The interest of soil non-work confirmed by studies!

Agriculture and soil. Pollution control, soil remediation, humus and new agricultural techniques.
Christophe
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The interest of soil non-work confirmed by studies!




by Christophe » 13/10/16, 16:30

It took several thousand years to realize ... thank you Did67 for being one of the first on this forum to "open our eyes" (see agriculture / gardening-more-than-bio-by-plant-live-without-fatigue-t13846.html )

Yet during its invention the plow (and its derivatives and therefore the work of the land) has increased agricultural yields ... hence their rapid adoption almost everywhere in the world ... there is Is it not a paradox or is it because today we have so exhausted and killed soils that non-tillage has become interesting again?

In short, here is the article by Sciences et Avenir ...

The interest of "no tillage" confirmed

The 09.10.2016 to 14h00

The compilation of 62 scientific studies comparing agricultural soil tillage practices around the world concludes that there is a definite agronomic advantage of "no tillage". Climate issues should accelerate the abandonment of the plow.

(...)

Microbial soil life is the secret of fertile soil. One gram of soil contains a million species of bacteria, 100 000 species of fungi, 1000 species of invertebrates (mites, collembolans, nematodes, etc.) among which the kings of this environment, the earthworms, main actors of soil fertility. Healthy soil has a dozen individuals per m3. This microcosm aerates the soil, breaks down plant residues and transforms them into organic matter again assimilated by plants. It is this recycling that is disturbed by plowing. If the reversal of land has a positive impact on bacterial life by causing the creation of different living environments favoring the multiplication of species, it instead stimulates the appearance of bacteria carrying diseases for plants! In addition, the plow destroys the fragile network of microscopic fungus mycelia that help plants better capture organic matter. Direct seeding in turn lowers bacterial diversity, but it favors species involved in fertility, increases the vitality of fungi and improves their effectiveness in the degradation of organic matter.

(...)


http://www.sciencesetavenir.fr/nature-e ... mee_107236
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Re: The interest of non-soil working confirmed by studies!




by Remundo » 13/10/16, 17:28

in fact, I think that when you start from an already very fertile soil that has rested for a long time, plowing can temporarily boost agricultural yields: plowing decompensates and stirs the earth a little, it buries the "weeds", and facilitates the growth of roots etc ...

But too much plowing can indeed prevent the microbiological processes of regeneration of organic matter.

There is surely a balance to be found between direct seeding and plowing; this is what farmers call "let the earth rest".

Moreover, the mechanical force required for plowing and the lack of fertilizer has historically incited farmers to a system of fallow with an alternation of cultivated plants, for example the triennial rotation of the Middle Ages (The official name of this technique did not appear until the 19th century).
The term triennial rotation, translated from the German Dreifeldersystem, appears at the beginning of the 19th century (Thaër, 1811) to name an invention of the Middle Ages in the Atlantic temperate regions of Northern Europe, where this type of rotation makes better use of the land and the work of the teams the biennial rotation of the Mediterranean regions, which has been in force until then.



Nowadays, machines, inputs and energy are so abundant that the land is overexploited.
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Re: The interest of non-soil working confirmed by studies!




by Obamot » 13/10/16, 17:44

It is not the "no tillage" that should be done, but to work as little as possible, on the top and surface layer (if possible exclusively).

That is to say 1) do nothing "invasive", 2) compete with the advantices with suitable mulching black film or cardboard (or other method preserving the growth area of ​​the plants by possible invaders) 3) monitor and use your own seed, which will adapt itself to 2 or 3 generations, to the type of soil available.

If we plow, the land recovers on its own from the stress caused, but it takes time and it would apparently be unnecessary (except in the cases noted by Remundo). Does the earth need to be "aerated" it seems not since in the natural state nobody is there to do it, so except "bad earth" it seems not, well I know too little to say 100% as long as there must be a good amount of soil types ... let's be careful! : Lol:
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Re: The interest of non-soil working confirmed by studies!




by Remundo » 13/10/16, 18:19

apart from forest soils, from what I know, most fields compact over time (even uncultivated or left in meadows). Clay soils are even terrible for that and you have to regularly "break the clod". In lighter soils (volcanic), plowing is less necessary, but essential if one makes cereals.

If currently the "fashion" is to denigrate the turning of the earth, many people would be very hungry in the absence of the plows: men did not invent, then used the plow to "have fun" ... this practice (used moderately) increases agricultural yields. After, as in everything, we must find a "measure".

Without being an expert on the subject, I think there would be interest in experiment alternating plowing and direct seeding, by rotating the cultures. To be chosen case by case according to the climate and the type of soil.

Rather than oppose, plowing and conservation agriculture should probably collaborate more.
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Re: The interest of non-soil working confirmed by studies!




by Obamot » 13/10/16, 18:43

For cereals, and especially rice, there is indeed a type of plowing but not deep.

For yield, I tended to believe that the absence of deep plowing hurt.
You seem to say no, but what is the opinion of the "lazy"? : Lol:

As I understand, the history of yields would be because farmers buy their seeds (instead of selecting them themselves) since those that are bought would not be as well adapted to the real environment (and new) . But if the peasants started to produce them themselves, yields would develop at best later, and intensive farming methods would not / as much attraction as that ...
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Re: The interest of non-soil working confirmed by studies!




by Remundo » 13/10/16, 19:20

"deep" plowing is justified sometimes to have a thicker and thicker layer of fertile soil: this renews the mineralization of loose soil, absorbs water better, and facilitates root development more frost-free eg. But for that, the soil must be rich in depth. There is no point in moving the plow in the rock, of course ...

Deep plowing is also a very energy-intensive technique, historically reserved for wealthy owners (able to maintain horses and draft oxen), but now it is widespread (perhaps too much!) Thanks to tractors and Diesel. It has not been shown that "nagging" several times a year in deep plowing is beneficial, but once in passing it is (on a case by case basis of course)

A historical plea, which is not uninteresting, on deep plowing:
http://www.haute-marne.chambagri.fr/kit ... bours.html
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Re: The interest of non-soil working confirmed by studies!




by eclectron » 13/10/16, 19:51

Remundo wrote:"deep" plowing is justified sometimes to have a layer of fertile soil growing thicker ...

In the past, plowing had a weeding function.

Claude Bourguignon is not your opinion on plowing : Wink:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xjwz64_claude-bourguignon-pourquoi-le-labour-est-une-catastrophe_tech
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Re: The interest of non-soil working confirmed by studies!




by Ahmed » 13/10/16, 19:57

Several approximations obscure the debate, as well as Christophe speaks of plowing dating back several thousand years, which is greatly exaggerated as a dating and as a qualification, given that in the beginnings of agriculture and until recently it was more about superficial ways, of "scratchings". Let us recall that in the south of France and Europe, the plow affected the soil only slightly and the plow in the north hardly more.
It was not until the XNUMXth century that the technical conditions made it possible to penetrate beyond. It is true that contemporaries were very enthusiastic about this technique, but what they could not understand is that the gain in fertility did not come from this practice, but that it resulted from the mobilization of the stock of humus which could, in the presence of oxygen, mineralize more quickly and, in effect, "boost" the cultures; however, it was only a question of impacting a stock that would simply be exhausted more quickly and not of taking advantage of a new sustainable resource.

However, it is not disputable that the old agricultural practices have been beneficial in the absence of development of other more subtle agrarian techniques: the lack of technique is not a technique!

Compared to the remark ofEclectron, I doubt that the practice of fallows will serve to manage the scarcity of teams, because the grass cover forces them to resort to it to clear fields which, otherwise, would remain "cleaner".
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Re: The interest of non-soil working confirmed by studies!




by Remundo » 13/10/16, 20:04

eclectron wrote:
Remundo wrote:"deep" plowing is justified sometimes to have a layer of fertile soil growing thicker ...

In the past, plowing had a weeding function.

Claude Bourguignon is not your opinion on plowing : Wink:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xjwz64_claude-bourguignon-pourquoi-le-labour-est-une-catastrophe_tech

but even more, plowing still has virtues on weeding.

What must be understood is that no technique is a panacea. Each has advantages and disadvantages.
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Re: The interest of non-soil working confirmed by studies!




by izentrop » 13/10/16, 23:25

Remundo wrote:but even more, plowing still has virtues on weeding.
Conservation agriculture often replaces tillage with more herbicide applications
Since the beginning of agriculture, tillage has mainly been used to fertilize crops by oxygenation of organic matter. It also makes it possible to control the soiling by the burial of the vegetation (plowing) or by a simple suppression on the surface (weeding). In recent decades, the depth and speed of plowing have increased dramatically, with the massive development of industrial mechanization.

Mineral fertilization itself is very efficient and the selection of adapted varieties has developed in parallel. The consequence is a gigantic productivity leap that has allowed industrial companies to entrust agricultural production for the first time to a minority of farmers. http://agriculture-de-conservation.com/ ... ILIER.html (will not please Obamot)
The no-till imposed on the Americans from 1930 following the Dust Bowl
No-till agriculture (ASL) aims to preserve, improve and use more
natural resources effectively through integrated management of
soil and water resources, available biological resources and
external inputs. It contributes to the conservation of the environment
as well as higher and sustainable agricultural production. We can
also consider it simply as an agriculture using the
resources efficiently and rationally. http://www.fao.org/ag/ca/doc/y3783f.pdf
Agriculture Without Labor (ASL) is a system based on integrated management
soil, water and agricultural resources, in which everyone is
winner. Its main objective is economically
ecologically and socially sustainable, which reverses the process of
soil degradation and allows their regeneration. http://www.fao.org/ag/ca/doc/y3782f.pdf
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