Horses And Plough Lineing Up To Plough Field, Near Wick,Caithness,Scotland, UK Editorial Image

Horses and plough lining up to the plough, at the Scottish Ploughing Championship, near Wick, Caithness, Scotland, U.K. For more information go to www.Scottish PloughingChampion.co.uk. Ploughs were traditionally drawn by oxen and horses, but in modern farms are drawn by tractors. ... The prime purpose of ploughing is to turn over the uppermost soil, so bringing fresh nutrients to the surface, while burying weeds and crop remains to decay. Trenches cut by the plough are called furrows. Ploughing breaks up the blocky structure of the soil which can aid in drainage and root growth. Ploughing fields can also turn organic matter into the soil to increase decomposition and add nutrients from the organic matter to the soil. ... Weeds compete with the planted crop for water and essential nutrients. The main advantages of soil ploughing are: The loosening and turning of soil during ploughing bring nutrient-rich soil to top. It improves air circulation so that roots can respire easily. Ploughing improves the water-retaining capacity of the soil. Their burrowing and feeding activities alter the soil structure and its ability to absorb water. ... They conclude that changing from conventional ploughing to reduced or conservation tillage methods changes the distribution of soil organic content in topsoil and has a positive effect on earthworm populations. Tillage: Advantages and Disadvantages. ... The most important advantage of conservation tillage systems is significantly less soil