Maintenance of soil health at its optimum level is essential for sustainable crop production and rational use of natural resources without jeopardizing their quality. In recent years, many agricultural scientists across the world have recommended conservation agriculture as a solution to overcome the adverse effects of conventional tillage practices on soil health. Conservation agriculture aims to conserve, improve and make more efficient use of natural resources through integrated management of available soil, water and biological resources combined with external inputs. It contributes to environmental conservation as well as to enhanced and sustained agricultural production. Conservation agriculture is mainly an integration of three crop management practices, viz. minimum or no-tillage, permanent retention of crop residue and crop rotation.
V. Arunkumar*
Agricultural College and Research Institute, Vazhavachanur, Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu (606 753), India
M. Yuvaraj
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