- Different Farming Systems For Different Conditions!
There are two systems in land preparation for Sorghum and Soybeans farming which I have adopted depending on the situation on the ground – Zero Tillage and Deep Plowing!
Both have advantages and disadvantages.
In the Zero Tillage System, “seeds are planted directly into undisturbed soil, resulting in numerous environmental and climate benefits. And the benefits are multiplied when no-till is used in conjunction with other sustainable practices such as cover crops.”
“No-till is one way of practicing conservation tillage, an approach that leaves crop residues in the cultivation area to protect the soil from wind and water erosion. In addition to no-till, conversation tillage also includes in-row subsoiling, strip-till, and ridge-till practices,” according to soil conservation group EESI.
Zero Tillage Farming, however, will not be effective in areas where because of years of monocropping, the soil had been turned into hardpan and the nutrients at the top soil had been depleted.
This is where Deep Plowing comes in as a more effective system in preparing the land prior to planting.
“Deep Plowing (typically over 20-50 cm deep) improves agricultural productivity by breaking up deep compaction (hardpan), allowing roots to reach greater depths for water and nutrients. It increases soil aeration, enhances water storage capacity, controls deep-rooted weeds/pests, and facilitates better crop yields, particularly in drought-prone areas or compacted soils,” according to studies conducted on the benefits of thorough land preparation.
As we introduce Sorghum Farming for the production of Silage needed by the thousands of Cattle which will be fattened by the First Atkins Farms in Umingan, Pangasinan, we have to use the Deep Plowing System because most of the farming areas had been turned into hardpans due to ages of monocropping.
We have to break the soil using large Disc Plows up a depth of 18 inches to free the sequestered nutrients underneath and to make sure that the roots of the Sorghum and also Soybeans will be able to penetrate the soil and gather moisture.
Deep Plowing is more expensive compared to the Zero Tillage System but in the conditions that we face in Umingan, it is the system which I believe would increase our productivity.
Different Strategies for Different Farming Conditions!
