In agriculture, which practice minimizes soil disturbance and keeps soil covered with residue using specific equipment?

• A. No-Till Farming
• B. Terrace Farming
• C. Contour Farming
• D. Conventional Tillage

Answer: (A)

The concept here is preserving soil surface cover while causing as little soil disturbance as possible, achieved with equipment designed to work through surface residue rather than overturning it. No-till farming uses specialized gear, like a no-till drill or planter, that opens a narrow slot, places the seed, and seals the soil back over the top. This keeps crop residue on the field surface, protecting the soil from erosion, helping retain moisture, and supporting soil life, all while minimizing soil disruption.

Terrace farming builds stepped levels on slopes to slow water flow, which helps with erosion control but doesn’t center on leaving residue on the surface through minimal disturbance. Contour farming follows the land’s curves to reduce runoff, again focusing on water flow rather than maintaining a residue-covered surface with minimal disturbance. Conventional tillage involves plowing and mixing the soil, which turns and exposes bare soil rather than preserving surface cover. Therefore, the method that best matches minimizing disturbance and keeping soil covered with residue using specialized equipment is no-till farming.