2021, Vol. 4, Issue 2, Part A

author(s)
Abesh Birhanu and Degitu Dereso

abstract
Conservation agriculture is one of agricultural system that has been promoted as capable of achieving the sustainable intensification required to meet world food demand. It is an alternative agricultural production system that minimizes the soil disturbances and conserves the composition and natural biodiversity. The CA consists of three core principles which are maintenance of permanent or semi-permanent soil cover; minimum soil disturbance through tillage; and regular crop rotations). The Objectives of this paper is to review Conservation agriculture and its components on soil chemical property, biological properties and crop yield. Surface mulch helps reduce water losses from the soil by evaporation and also helps moderate soil temperature. This promotes biological activity and enhances nitrogen mineralization, especially in the surface layers. Where CA leads to greater SOC, this will often have a positive impact on soil chemical properties that can affect crop production a cover crop and the resulting mulch or previous crop residue help reduce weed infestation through competition and not allowing weed seeds the light often needed for germination. There is also evidence of allelopathic properties of cereal residues in respect to inhibiting surface weed seed germination Conservation tillage (zero tillage and reduced tillage) practices simultaneously conserve soil and water resources, reduce farm energy usage and increase or sustain crop production.