Farmers who adopt zero tillage (or 'no-till') use direct drilling to sow seeds into the soil without ploughing it. Whilst zero tillage, in combination with mulching/retention of stubbles, can reduce soil erosion, it can also increase reliance on herbicides for pest control.
The following table provides some resources which may be useful to farmers considering whether to adopt zero tillage on their farms:
Title | Country | Language | Format | Description | Organisation |
No-Till UK | UK | English | Website | A website dedicated to providing information about no-till |
No-Till UK |
No-till farming and how it can benefit soil and water | UK | English | Webinar | Webinar about an Innovative Farmers' trial on no-till |
Groundswell Agriculture |
Direct drilling: best-practice information sheet | UK | English | Factsheet | Factsheet about no-till and how to make it a success |
The Rivers Trusts |
Threats to soil quality in Denmark | Denmark | English | Report | Report about the threats facing soils in Denmark; chapter 8 covers tillage practices |
|
Benefits for soil and yield: direct drilling | UK | English | Video | Video of a farmer explaining his transition to a direct drilling system |
Farm Herefordshire |
No-till 101 | USA | English | Website | Information on no-till systems |
No-till Farmer |
No-till case studies | EN | UK | Case studies | Provides many case studies of farmers using this system |
No-Till UK |
What is no-till farming? | EN | N/A | Article | Provides details of the no-till system and how it fits into the future |
Regeneration International |
Direct Drilling | EN | UK | Article | Case studies are used to show how different farmers are turning to No-till systems |
Farmers Guide |
Zero-till/direct drilling | EN | UK | Video | LEAF Video explaining zero till/direct drilling with a case study |
LEAF |
Benefits for soil and yield with the direct-drilling approach | EN | UK | Video | Provides a case study of a farmer's drastic change to a no-till system |
Farm Herefordshire |
No-till: opportunities and challenges for cereal and oilseed growers | EN | UK | Fact sheet | Contains pros and cons, along with key information about the system |
AHDB |
Agroecology Europe Forum – Focus on No-Till | EN | Europe | Article | Provides thoughts of different European countries on no-till systems |
Arc 2020 |
Spreading the word about the no-till agricultural revolution | EN | Global | Article/video | Shows how the no-till movement is progressing globally and a video containing general no-till information |
IIED |