Towards sustainable agriculture with a no-tillage system

The majority of soils in Parana State have a high clay content. The high rainfall intensities contribute to erosion hazard when the soil is tillled and unprotected by plant residues. Mulch-producing crops and adequate rotation programs constitute one of the most efficient production systems that have been developed in tropical and subtropical conditions. It is estimated that Parana State has more than 2.5 million hectares under a no-tillage system. The main factors for adopting no-tillage (animal traction) are less labour and better soil conservation. The no-tillage system is viable when its basic principles are well understood by farmers. No-tillage systems contribute to a better labour distribution during the year, practically eliminating ploughing, harrowing, and mechanical weed control. This leads to more available time to arrange, plan and manage different activities for better farm diversification. The system substantially reduces soil losses, improves soil fertility, increases crop yields, and enhances production stability making permanent land use possible, thus leading to sustainable land management.