Progress and Suggestions of Conservation Tillage in China

Abstract

Conservation tillage is a technology regarding sustainable agricultural development, which features less or no tillage and crop stubble covering and has brought significant economic, environmental, and social benefits to China’s agricultural production. As agricultural production in China develops toward the directions of large scale, high efficiency, and intelligence, promoting the development of conservation tillage becomes conducive to cultivated land protection, grain supply security, and agricultural technology improvement. This study reviews the development process of conservation tillage in China from the aspects of research and development of conservation tillage technologies and equipment, demonstration and ability construction, and utilization of black soil in Northeast China. It also summarizes the development status of conservation tillage technologies and equipment in China, involving representative technical models and key machines for surface straw and stubble treatment, shallow soil tillage, and no- or less-tillage sowing. The major factors that affect the development of conservation tillage in China are analyzed, including suitable model and equipment, support of laws and policies, and drive of large-scale planting households. Furthermore, suggestions are proposed to promote the rapid and stable development of conservation tillage in China. First, a national science and technology innovation platform should be built and high-standard demonstration projects should be implemented by counties. Second, national action plans on conservation tillage should be implemented to strengthen policy guidance. Third, publicity of conservation tillage should be further strengthened.

Keywords

• conservation tillage
• machines
• technical model
• cultivated land protection
• sustainable agriculture