Maharashtra Board Class 11 Agriculture Science and Technology Chapter 9 Tillage PDF Download

Tillage

Definition

9.1.1 Definition of Tillage

Tillage may be defined as the physical manipulation of soil with different tools and implements to bring the soil in a good physical condition for better germination and subsequent growth of plants.

Tillage of the soil consist of breaking the hard and compact surface to a certain depth and other operations that are followed for bringing the soil in a good physical condition i.e. fine tilth for plant growth.

It is manipulation of soil with different tools and implements with an object to make the soil surface loose and bringing it to favourable conditions for seed germination, seedling establishment and growth of crops.

9.1.2 Definition of Tilth

The term soil tilth means the physical condition of soil resulting from tillage operations.

Soil tilth is the physical condition of soil in which soil becomes loose, friable, crumb, soft, properly aerated but not very powdery.

Know The Scientist

Jethro Tull (1664-1741) was a British agronomist. He invented seed drill, hoe and plough, which were driven by horse.

He studied law and graduated from Oxford University in 1699. He began farming in 1700 and took greater interest in agricultural operation.

Tillage practices are as old as agriculture. Jethro Tull proposed that plants absorb minute soil particles hence suggested thorough ploughing and other operations were necessary for bringing soil in an ideal condition. He is known as father of tillage.

Keep In Mind

Soil serves as a natural medium for the growth of plants; but in its natural state, it is not in an ideal condition for growing the crops satisfactorily. The beating action of rain drops, irrigation and subsequent drying, weeds, stubbles, harvesting of crop, labour and subsequent activities cause soil compaction. Soil condition must be made favourable for crop growth and development from sowing to harvesting. The seeds require loose, friable soil with sufficient moisture and air for better germination and easy penetration of younger roots into the soil for absorption of nutrients, minerals, air and water. These ideal conditions of soil are achieved by proper manipulation of soil and bring it into good tilth condition.

Teacher's Note

Tillage is like giving a massage to the soil. It makes the soil soft and fluffy so seeds can grow well, just like how farmers in India loosen the soil before planting rice or wheat.

Exam Trick

Remember: Tilth = soil texture. Good tilth = loose, airy soil. Think of it like the difference between hard, dry earth and soft, crumbly soil after rain.

Points To Remember

Tillage breaks hard soil into loose pieces with tools and ploughs.
Good tilth means soil is loose, soft, and has good air and water movement.
Jethro Tull is called the father of tillage.
Soil in its natural state is not ready for planting crops.
Seeds need loose soil, moisture, and air to grow well.

Can You Recall?

Why the cultivable soil is banned for grazing animals?

How does the soil look during sowing time and after harvesting?

What is the difference between loose porous soil and compact hard soil?

Why the tractor is mostly used now a days instead of bullocks in farm operations?

Which operations farmer does before sowing?

Objectives Of Tillage

The various objectives of tillage are as follows.

To Make The Soil Loose And Porous

This will enable rain or irrigation water to enter the soil easily and less losses of rain water and soil due to run-off and erosion. Due to adequate proportion of micro pores the sufficient amount of water will be retained in soil for crop growth and less losses of water due to percolation.

To Aerate The Soil

It enables the metabolic processes of living plants and micro-organisms to continue smoothly. Due to adequate air and moisture, desirable chemical and biological activities would go on at greater speed. This would result in rapid decomposition of organic matter and making plant nutrients available to crops.

To Increase The Soil Temperature

This can be achieved by maintaining proper amount of air and water in the soil and also by exposing the soil to the sun. The optimum soil temperature in active root zone of the crop is necessary for proper growth and functioning of plant roots and useful organisms in the soil.

To Control Weeds

Weeds are enemies of crops as they compete with crops for plant nutrients, moisture, space and sunlight, that will result in poor crop yields. Therefore, management of weeds with suitable tools and implements is the definite advantage of tillage.

Advantages Of Tilth

Good soil tilth provides adequate aeration, maintain soil temperature, soil moisture, soil aggregates, moisture content also ensure good infiltration, easy and smooth movement of sowing implements. The good tilth condition maintains spaces, i.e. the macro and micro pores in equal proportion for retention of soil moisture and soil air.

Teacher's Note

When we loosen the soil, water can sink in easily. This is why farmers plow their fields before the monsoon rains in India.

Exam Trick

Remember the eight main objectives with this: Loose soil lets water in, air passes through, temperature rises, weeds are controlled, old soil is removed, insects die, hard pans break, and manure mixes well.

Points To Remember

Loose soil lets more water enter the ground.
Air in soil helps plants and good bacteria grow.
Warm soil helps plant roots work better.
Tillage removes unwanted weeds from fields.
Organic manures mix better in tilled soil.

Observe And Discuss

How will you feel while walking on ploughed field and sown field?

Why the water lodging conditions after heavy rains do not appear in ploughed land?

Why the bullocks do walk easily during sowing?

Types Of Tillage

Tillage operations are grouped into three types on the basis of their time at which they are carried out.

These are:

Preparatory tillage

Seed bed preparation

Intertillage or intercultivation

9.3.1 Preparatory Tillage

It means the tillage operations which are carried out before the sowing of any crop. These operations done after the harvesting of the previous crop and up to seed bed preparation for next crop. It consists of a number of costly and time consuming operations, which are carried out by using suitable implements at proper moisture content of the soil. These operations are necessary for proper germination, emergence and growth of the crop. The various tillage operations which come under preparatory tillage are:

Ploughing

Clod crushing

Leveling of land

Harrowing

Manure mixing

Ploughing

Ploughing means breaking of hard soil with different ploughs. This is considered to be the most essential operation for making the soil loose and porous to a desired depth as per requirement of the crop. Depth depends upon the effective root zone of the crop.

Teacher's Note

Ploughing is the first big step. It is like opening a closed book so that the pages (soil layers) can get air and water. Indian farmers have been ploughing for thousands of years.

Exam Trick

Remember: Plough = deep, Harrow = shallow. Plough breaks hard soil, harrow smooths it. Think of plough as the first wash and harrow as the fine cleaning.

Points To Remember

Ploughing breaks hard, compact soil into pieces.
It is the most important tillage operation.
The depth of ploughing depends on the crop's root system.
Deep ploughing reaches 20 to 30 centimetres deep.
Shallow ploughing goes only 12 to 15 centimetres deep.

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