Conservation tillage for dryland farming in China

Dryland regions account for above 70% of total nation's farmland in China. These dryland are vital contributors to the total national production of grains, cash crops and animal products. However, the development of dryland farming is constrained by harsh climate, bad economic situation and poor knowledge on land management. Even though the conservation tillage research and application in dryland regions of China has been actively promoted since 1980s, the conventional tillage is still prevalent in these regions. The bottleneck for sustainable agriculture in China is still the lack of knowledge amongst both farmers and extension organizations about practices pertained to sustainable land management. In this paper, we analyzed the regional characteristics and regional adaptation of conservation tillage systems in China’s dryland regions; reviewed the research conducted on conservation tillage in China, and discussed the problems faced with the introduction and application of conservation tillage practices in order to gain a better perception of the role of soil conservation tillage and promote application of practical technologies for dryland farming systems in China. To ensure a wider adoption of conservation tillage, several actions should be strengthened. These include: 1) strengthen the on-the ground, pilot field activates and further intensify the demonstration 2) optimize information, instruction, support and guidance of the farmer 3) enact specific legislation for the development, adoption and implementation of conservation agriculture.