Presentation

Characterization of the technique

Description of the technique :

Photo credits : Amazone GmbH & Co. KG (CC BY-SA 3.0)




Rémy Ballot	INRA	remy.ballot(at)grignon.inra.fr	Grignon (78)

Minimize seedbed refinement by favoring vibrating tine tools (vibroculter, etc.), which promote the presence of clods on the surface, or by using powered tools (harrow rotary...) at low rotation speed and high forward speed.

Implementation period On established crop

Spatial scale of implementation Plot

Application of the technique to...

All crops : Sometimes difficult to generalize

For certain crops (beet, rapeseed, alfalfa…) it is necessary to refine the seedbed to obtain a favorable soil/seed contact for emergence. In this case, it is possible to limit seedbed refinement to the seeding line by using localized tine harrows.

All soil types : Easily generalizable

Maintaining a cloddy surface state is particularly justified in the case of erosion-prone soils (loamy soils…).

All climatic contexts : Easily generalizable

Maintaining a cloddy surface state is particularly justified when the probability of heavy rainfall episodes in the weeks following sowing is high, as long as the crop does not cover the soil.

Effects on the sustainability of the cropping system

"Environmental" criteria

Effect on air quality : Increasing

phytosanitary emissions : NEUTRAL

GHG emissions : DECREASE

Effect on water quality : Increasing

pesticides : DECREASE

turbidity : DECREASE

Effect on fossil resource consumption : Decreasing

fossil energy consumption : DECREASE

Other : No effect (neutral)

Maintaining a cloddy surface state helps limit transfers of phosphorus, phytosanitary residues, and soil particles to water.

A less refined seedbed preparation leads to a slight decrease in fuel consumption (hitch requiring less tractor engine power), thus reducing related greenhouse gas emissions.

"Agronomic" criteria

Productivity : Variable

For some crops, an insufficiently refined seedbed can cause emergence losses, but also the formation of a crust.

Water stress : Decreasing

Maintaining a cloddy surface state promotes infiltration and can thus help improve water availability in regions with rainfall deficits.

"Economic" criteria

Mechanization costs : Decreasing

A less refined seedbed preparation leads to a slight decrease in fuel consumption (hitch requiring less tractor engine power).

"Social" criteria

Working time : Decreasing

A less refined seedbed preparation can lead to increased work rates.

Favored or disadvantaged organisms

Favored Bioagressors

Organism	Impact of the technique	Type	Details
slug	MEDIUM	pest, predator or parasite

For more information

Soil erosion
-Ouvry J.F. (AREAS)

The modern farmer, no. 414, AREAS, Press article, 2002

Link to the article

Sheet 1 : Maize
-Coufourier N., Lecomte V., Le Goff A. (CA 76), Pivain Y. (CA 27), Ouvry J.F., Lheriteau M. (AREAS)