What is/are the advantage/advantages of zero tillage in agriculture?
- Sowing of wheat without burning the residue of previous crop.
- Without the need for nursery of rice saplings, direct planting of paddy seeds in the wet soil is possible.
- Carbon sequestration in the soil is possible
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2020 Prelims]
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (d)
Explanation:
- Zero-till farming is a method of cultivating wheat without disturbing the soil in the harvested fields.
- Happy Seeder is a unique technique used for sowing seeds without burning crop residue, making statement 1 correct.
- Direct Seeded Rice Zero-Tillage (DSR) is an alternative way of establishing rice crops where seeds are sown directly without raising them in a nursery and can be done in zero-tillage conditions, which makes statement 2 correct.
- To enhance carbon sequestration in soils, it has been recommended to adopt no-tillage before cultivation.
- Even if the land is prepared through mechanical agitation without burning the crops, carbon sequestration can still be possible, which makes statement 3 correct.
Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.
