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| Yes, maybe some carbon is lost when moldboard plowing but it is still very essential in certain areas of North America to give those farmers more income. The last few years with low commodity prices have taken away alot of wasted money like too much tillage, excess N rates, etc. so I think the majority of farmers that are still plowing have found it is necessary to make a good living. Don't think there is a farmer out there that wouldn't like to just take out the planter in the spring and notill everything but that just econonically doesn't work. I have tried different tillage practices on my farm and the moldboard plow is still one of the most important things on the farm for a good corn on corn rotation. All my soybeans are notill, some wheat is and the rest is conventional wheat with red clover underseeded for green manure. Notill might release less carbon but reduced tillage in North America has also led to more glyphosate resistant weeds and more insect pressure. One thing I would like to note is my plow doesn't have coulters so some trash is left on top reducing erosion and read up on "inversion plowing" which aids in soil drying evenly in the spring. | |
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Moldboard plowing ?
