Tillage practices on the Canadian prairie

Abstract

Herbicides can advantageously replace tillage in the wheat/fallow rotation of the Canadian prairie, superseding the traditional but now questionably-beneficial summer fallow. Zero-tillage crop production conserves moisture, reduces soil erosion by wind and water and minimises loss of nitrogen from organic matter. However, it requires of the farmer new management skills, and it is unlikely to be adopted widely until the grain market demands sustained high levels of production.