Considerations on the tillage of agricultural soils

Since the beginning of agriculture, the soil has been removed in order to provide the plant with conditions for better development and yield, over the years this method of soil removal was defined as tillage, this is done with instruments that break and crumble the soil to provide aeration conditions, moisture conservation and mineral release, however, it causes a disturbance of the soil ecosystem, which generates a lower interaction of soil life and decreases the availability of minerals necessary for plant nutrition, resulting in a decrease in crop productivity.

In this sense, researchers such as Araya and Pereira (2004), argued that when a soil destined for agricultural production deteriorates which significantly influences its productivity, therefore, anthropogenic activities (human activities) must be in line with the care of each component of the agricultural system, the excessive use of tillage can cause soil erosion and compaction, therefore, it is essential to establish sustainable practices that allow preserving the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the soil.

The situation raised in the previous paragraph demands the need to innovate new experiences that provide information regarding the preparation of agricultural soils in a balanced way with the environment with well-used tillage that protects the soil from the impact of rain, improves its physical, chemical and biological properties and increases the content of organic matter on the surface, which has a positive impact on the development of the roots in the developing radical system of crops.

On the other hand, in Venezuela there are many spaces within the unused production units that are considered suitable for the production of various crops including corn, which are favored by the soil-climatic conditions that some geographical areas have, however, some producers on their farms or plots carry out the preparation of the land in a traditional way, that is, passing on several occasions the implements they possess to eliminate unwanted plants and remove the, looking for better conditions that favor the growth and development of their crops.

Therefore, it is necessary to determine which methods or tillage systems can be implemented on agricultural soils and then, in accompaniment with producers, conduct field trials testing the different tillage systems and how they influence the characteristics of the soil and the development of crops. Carrying out these tests will allow us to collect valuable information that can serve as a basis for establishing the procedures used in these studies and for them to be executed in different production units.

Agriculture is currently focusing on the search for viable, sustainable alternatives for food production, with regard to mechanization systems for the establishment of any crop, as research is carried out, through the entities that are responsible for the agricultural sector to establish training plans for agricultural producers to let them know the best method of preparation of agricultural soils or tillage, ideal for the establishment and development of the crop you want to establish.

Dear readers, as we all know agriculture is fundamental in every nation because it guarantees the food of the populations, that is why it is justified to establish well-oriented agricultural techniques that are sustainable aimed at farmers, students, professionals and researchers of agricultural sciences.

In short, the idea is to look for ecologically balanced alternatives to establish economically profitable and environmentally acceptable production models, that is, that are in accordance with the principles of sustainable agriculture, to minimize dependence and combine traditional practices with agroecological technology, because agricultural mechanization is the essential component of agricultural production engineering because it is applied in all its aspects to rural agricultural development, because this has been carried out in a generalized way in a traditional way, without exploiting the potentialities of that technology.