Tillage systems and soil properties in Latin America

A review of tillage systems in Latin America revealed that considerable research on this topics has been done and much is currently in progress. Results of most of this tillage research, however, have not been published in international refereed journals, thus making it difficult to assess the current state of the art on this topic. A high percentage of tillage research results has not been published at all. In general, conservation tillage practices, that is, those commonly referred to as no-till and minimum till, had higher bulk densities in the surface soil, but lower macroporosities, infiltration rates and crop yields as compared with conventional tillage, which was typically disk plowing. Chisel plowing and subsoiling, deep tillage practices whose action extends below the usual depth of disk plowing, usually decreased mechanical impedance, improved root penetration and increased crop yields. Soil loss from cropped land was usually greatest under conventional tillage unless mulch was applied to the soil surface. We believe that some form of tillage practice that mixes the surface soil layer will have to be incorporated from time to time into any tillage system to maintain soil conditions adequate for sustained continuous cropping.