Question map
What is/are the advantage/advantages of zero tillage in agriculture ? 1. Sowing of wheat is possible without burning the residue of previous crop. 2. Without the need for nursery of rice saplings, direct planting of paddy seeds in the wet soil is possible. 3. Carbon sequestration in the soil is possible. Select the correct answer using the code given below :
Explanation
The correct answer is Option 4 (1, 2, and 3) because zero tillage (no-till farming) offers multifaceted environmental and agronomic benefits.
- Statement 1: Zero tillage allows for the sowing of wheat directly into the stubble of the previous rice crop using machines like the Happy Seeder. This eliminates the need for crop residue burning, reducing air pollution.
- Statement 2: It facilitates Direct Seeded Rice (DSR). Instead of traditional transplanting, which requires raising a nursery and intensive puddling, seeds are sown directly into the soil, saving water and labor.
- Statement 3: By leaving the soil undisturbed and retaining crop residues, zero tillage increases organic matter and minimizes soil respiration. This leads to carbon sequestration, as the soil acts as a carbon sink rather than releasing CO2 through frequent plowing.
Since all three statements accurately describe the advantages of zero tillage, Option 4 is the most comprehensive and correct choice.
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Full viewThis question sits at the intersection of Agriculture (Economy) and Climate Change (Environment). It rewards candidates who study farming techniques not just as 'crops' but as 'solutions' to modern crises like stubble burning and soil degradation.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Statement 1: Does zero tillage in agriculture allow sowing of wheat without burning the residue of the previous crop?
- Statement 2: Does zero tillage in agriculture enable direct seeding of paddy into wet soil without the need for rice nurseries or transplanting?
- Statement 3: Does zero tillage in agriculture increase carbon sequestration in the soil?
- Defines conservation agriculture as including no or minimum soil disturbance (no tillage) and maintenance of a vegetative soil cover through crop residues
- Explicit linkage of 'no tillage' with keeping crop residues as a permanent soil cover — which obviates the need to burn residues before sowing
- Notes that sequence cropping can require minimal ploughing, implying reduced soil disturbance between crops
- Mentions use of residual fertiliser of previous crops, consistent with leaving residues and reduced disturbance rather than burning them
- Explicitly lists 'Direct seeding (Line) in rainfed paddy' as a practice that 'allows minimal disturbance to the soil', consistent with conservation/zero-tillage approaches.
- Links direct seeding of paddy with minimal soil disturbance, implying planting directly in the field rather than transplanting from a nursery.
- Repeats promotion of 'Direct seeding (Line) in rainfed paddy which allows minimal disturbance to the soil', reinforcing that direct seeding is used for paddy with low soil disturbance.
- Describes direct seeding as an alternative planting method for paddy (implying reduced reliance on nursery/transplanting).
- States that zero tillage 'supports direct seeding in wet soil', directly addressing the 'wet soil' aspect of paddy establishment.
- Links zero tillage to the capability of planting directly into wet conditions, which would remove the need for raising and transplanting from nurseries.
Explicitly states that direct seeding of germinated seeds in wet (puddled) fields is practiced in areas with abundant irrigation and labour shortages, giving an example of rice cultivation without transplanting.
A student could compare this practice to zero-tillage principles and check whether direct wet-seeding is compatible with 'no or minimum soil disturbance' or instead needs puddling operations.
Defines wet or puddling tillage — ploughing repeatedly in standing water to make a soft seed bed and an impervious layer — showing that conventional wet-seeded/transplanted rice usually involves deliberate soil disturbance.
Use this to contrast puddling requirements with zero-tillage (no soil disturbance) and assess if direct wet seeding would still need puddling or could omit it.
Explains tillage's purpose (creating an ideal seedbed) and types, implying that seedbed preparation (often by tillage) is a standard step before sowing.
A student could infer that zero tillage removes seedbed preparation steps and therefore must be evaluated for its ability to provide comparable seedbed conditions for rice in wet soils.
Gives the core principles of Conservation Agriculture, including 'minimum soil disturbance (No tillage)', which is the conceptual basis for zero tillage practices.
Combine this principle with the puddling/wet-seeding descriptions to judge whether zero-tillage variants exist or could be adapted for paddy (e.g., direct seeding without puddling).
Notes that transplantation is used where water is plentiful and that seeds are first broadcast and later transplanted, illustrating the conventional transplanting system against which direct-seeding/zero-till alternatives are compared.
Use this as an example of the dominant practice to ask whether zero tillage/direct wet-seeding could replace transplanting in such water-rich areas.
- Explicitly links zero tillage to increased soil organic matter via reduced mineralization
- Higher organic matter implies greater carbon retained in the soil pool
- Also notes improved soil biota (earthworms) and mulch cover that favour carbon accumulation
- Connects conservation tillage (which includes zero tillage) to increased organic content of soil
- Directly ties increased soil organic content to promoting soil carbon capture for climate mitigation
- States that terrestrial sequestration stores large amounts of carbon in soils and vegetation
- Provides the broader conceptual basis that soils are a recognized carbon sink
- [THE VERDICT]: Standard Static-Current Mix. Statements 1 & 3 are directly in Shankar IAS/Vivek Singh. Statement 2 (Direct Seeded Rice) was a major news theme linked to the stubble burning crisis.
- [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Conservation Agriculture & Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA). The shift from 'Green Revolution' intensive tillage to 'Evergreen Revolution' sustainable practices.
- [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Contrast Zero Tillage with Minimum Tillage; Study 'Happy Seeder' & 'Super Seeder' machines; Compare Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) vs. System of Rice Intensification (SRI) vs. Conventional Puddling; Learn the '4 per 1000' soil carbon initiative.
- [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: When a technology (Zero Tillage) is promoted to solve a specific problem (Stubble Burning), UPSC asks about its *secondary* benefits (Carbon Sequestration) and *operational* shifts (Direct Seeding).
Conservation agriculture is built on no/reduced tillage, maintaining crop-residue soil cover, and crop rotations — directly relevant to zero tillage practices.
High-yield: understanding these three pillars explains how zero tillage functions and its environmental benefits. Connects to questions on sustainable farming, residue management, and policy measures to reduce stubble burning. Enables answer framing on agricultural best-practices and pollution control.
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 11: Agriculture - Part II > 11.13 Conservation Agriculture > p. 353
Zero or reduced tillage practices are compatible with keeping crop residues on the field, removing the need to burn residues before sowing.
High-yield: directly addresses exam themes of stubble burning mitigation and agronomic methods for wheat sowing. Links to environmental health, rural policy, and farm-level adoption barriers; useful for case-based and policy-answer questions.
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 11: Agriculture - Part II > 11.13 Conservation Agriculture > p. 353
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 9: Agriculture > 2. Multiple Cropping or Poly-Cropping > p. 309
Wheat is listed among crops that traditionally require preparatory tillage, but conservation approaches present no-till alternatives for sowing.
Important for UPSC: helps reconcile traditional agronomy (crop-specific tillage) with sustainable innovations (no-till), a common examiner theme. Useful for comparative questions on productivity, input requirements, and technology adoption in agriculture.
- Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 12: Major Crops and Cropping Patterns in India > 1. Arable Crops > p. 11
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 11: Agriculture - Part II > 11.13 Conservation Agriculture > p. 353
Puddling is a wet tillage operation that creates a soft muddy seedbed and an impervious layer beneath the surface, used in rice cultivation to reduce percolation and prepare fields for seeding or transplanting.
High-yield concept for questions on rice cultivation methods: distinguishes wet-tillage practices from dry/rainfed methods and explains why water management and soil physical condition matter for rice yields. It links to irrigation, labour considerations, and tillage types, enabling candidates to answer questions on cultivation systems and water-use in agriculture.
- Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 25: Agriculture > gpes of preparatory tillage > p. 356
- Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 12: Major Crops and Cropping Patterns in India > Systems of Rice Cultivation > p. 15
Direct seeding of germinated seeds into puddled (wet) fields is practiced where irrigation is abundant and labour is scarce, whereas transplanting uses nursery-raised seedlings which are later planted in waterlogged fields.
Essential for evaluating crop establishment techniques and policy/technology choices in rice production. Helps in answering comparative questions on labour use, water requirements, yields, and mechanisation in rice systems.
- Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 12: Major Crops and Cropping Patterns in India > Systems of Rice Cultivation > p. 15
- THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 2: Kings, Farmers and Towns > The Sudarshana (beautiful) lake in Gujarat > p. 38
Conservation agriculture emphasises minimum or no soil disturbance (no tillage), permanent soil cover, and crop rotations as core principles distinct from puddling-based wet tillage.
Critical for questions on sustainable farming practices and resource-conserving technologies. Understanding this clarifies contrasts between zero-tillage approaches and traditional wet-rice puddling systems, and informs policy/extension debates on water- and labour-saving innovations.
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 11: Agriculture - Part II > 11.13 Conservation Agriculture > p. 353
No/minimum tillage, permanent soil cover and crop rotation form the core of conservation agriculture that underpins zero tillage practices.
High-yield for UPSC: this concept links agricultural practice to resource conservation and climate outcomes. Mastering it helps answer questions on sustainable farming, policy measures for a 'second green revolution', and land management strategies.
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 11: Agriculture - Part II > 11.13 Conservation Agriculture > p. 353
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 9: Agriculture > MAJOR REFORMS NEEDED UNDER SECOND GREEN REVOLUTION > p. 353
The 'Dark Side' of Zero Tillage: It often requires increased use of herbicides (like Glyphosate) because ploughing is no longer used to kill weeds. Also, 'Laser Land Leveling' is often a prerequisite for efficiency here.
The 'Possibility' Heuristic: Statements 1, 2, and 3 use the phrase 'is possible'. In Science/Agri, proving something is *impossible* is hard. Unless the tech explicitly forbids it (e.g., 'Zero tillage cannot grow tubers'), assume the capability exists. All options are positive advancements.
Mains GS3 (Agriculture & Environment): Zero Tillage is a dual-purpose tool—it increases Farmer Income (lower input cost) and meets India's NDC targets (Carbon Sink). Use it as a case study for 'Climate Resilient Agriculture'.