Aron Calvin Vijaykhar
Global Product Manager | Marketing & Brand Management Head
The basis of every successful harvest is soil. In the absence of healthy soil, farmers struggle to produce low yields, incur higher input costs, and earn profits. Globally, soil erosion, compaction, and soil infertility are growing as a result of intensive agricultural practices and the use of heavy machines. The conservation and maintenance of this resource are no longer a choice; they are a necessity for sustainable agriculture.
At TVS Eurogrip OHT, we understand the role tyres play in conserving soil. To ensure that farmers can do more while preserving their land, our high-end range of agricultural tyres seeks to reduce compaction, enhance traction, and preserve the ground structure. This article discusses the methods of soil conservation in agriculture and how the right tyres can help in such practices.
Why Is Soil Conservation Essential for Agriculture?
Healthy soil is not infinite. Once it is degraded, it takes decades to recover. Farmers cannot afford to farm without protecting soil, because this equates to protecting their livelihood. Soil conservation ensures that crops receive the necessary nutrients, water is absorbed, and the fields remain productive in the long term.
Protecting Soil Structure and Fertility
Uncovered soil loses its organic matter, is eroded by rain, and is unable to support crops. Implementing best conservation practices will retain nutrients and promote microbial activity in the soil, resulting in consistent yields throughout every season.
Reducing Soil Compaction with Modern Farm Tyres
Farm machinery may compact layers of soil, making it difficult for water and roots to penetrate. TVS Eurogrip OHT low compaction farm tyres, such as AR 600 and TR 45, evenly distribute the weight and decrease the ground pressure, which leaves the soil porous and healthy.
Soil Conservation Techniques Farmers Can Rely On
It is not a one-time process, but a series of practices that farmers should employ regularly to conserve and enhance their fields. The various soil conservation techniques address diverse problems, such as erosion and compaction, and when combined, form a comprehensive solution for sustainable agriculture. These are the best practices that farmers can utilize with the support of the existing machinery and soil-sensitive products from TVS Eurogrip OHT.
Crop Rotation to Maintain Balance
Planting the same crop season after season exhausts the soil of certain nutrients and encourages pests that feed on the specific crop. Farmers can restore natural nutrient cycles by using alternating crops, such as cereals and legumes, or cotton and pulses.
For example, legumes are capable of fixing nitrogen in the soil, thereby minimizing the need for fertilizer. Crop rotation is an excellent method of increasing disease resistance over the long term and enhancing yield stability.
This can be applied in conjunction with machinery equipped with TVS Eurogrip OHT AR 600 tyres to ensure efficient plantings and harvests that do not compromise the soil structure
Cover Crops for Soil Health
Green manure and other cover crops, such as rye and clover, cover the soil and prevent soil erosion between the primary crops. They minimize erosion during heavy rain, assist in retaining water, and, when plowed back into the field, provide organic matter.
The use of cover crops also helps in the natural suppression of weeds, thereby reducing the need for chemical use. In wet soils, farmers operating a tractor with low-compaction radial tyres, such as the TR 45, can perform cover crop activities with low ground pressure without affecting soil porosity.
Conservation Tillage Practices
Excessive tillage breaks apart soil aggregates, depletes organic matter, and exposes soil to erosion. Conservation tillage practices, including reduced and zero tillage, leave residues on the soil surface to shield it from wind and water loss. And it will also increase the microbial activity in the ground. With TVS Eurogrip OHT TR 72 radial tyres, farmers can drive heavy tractors for seeding and spraying under reduced tillage systems, benefiting from traction control that protects delicate soil layers.
Contour Farming and Terrace Farming
In fields with hills or sloping ground, soil erosion can be extreme during monsoons or with heavy irrigation. Contour farming is based on the idea that ploughing should follow the natural slope, while the soil is kept in place by slowing down runoff through terraces. All these techniques have been demonstrated in areas of high rainfall or altitude.
For farmers operating in this kind of landscape, TVS Eurogrip OHT FL 09 flotation tyres can ensure stability, allowing the farmer to operate on uneven ground without leaving deep ruts, which can disturb carefully managed slopes.
Agroforestry for Soil Conservation
Trees combined with crops are one of the oldest and yet most effective soil conservation techniques. Tree roots secure the soil, leaves provide organic material, and shade decreases evaporation. Agroforestry also provides a diverse range of income opportunities for farmers by supplementing their crop with timber or fruit.
With trailers or sprayers equipped with TVS Eurogrip OHT IM 108 tyres, farmers can maintain agroforestry plots with minimal soil disturbance, resulting in fertile, well-protected soil.
Proper Drainage and Water Management
Too much water is as detrimental as drought. It removes nutrients, results in waterlogging, and even soil salinization (eventually). Efficient surface and subsurface drainage will ensure that the water moves well through the field.
Furrow drains, check dams, and underground pipes are all used to conserve soil. Thanks to tyres run on TVS Eurogrip OHT IM 45, machines can operate over wet fields with reduced risk of compaction, enabling successful water management without damaging the ground.
Organic Fertilizers and Composting
Synthetic fertilizers increase yields, but overuse leads to degradation of soil health. Organic materials, such as compost, manure, and crop residues, are a natural way to increase soil fertility. They boost microorganisms, enhance soil structure, and increase water-holding capacity. Composting also minimizes farm wastes by reusing organic matter. When spreading compost, the use of TVS Eurogrip OHT IT 30F IND-1 tyres, mounted on trailers, ensures an even spread with minimal ground disturbance.
Preventing Overgrazing in Pastures
Unmanaged grazing by the livestock industry, a significant part of rural economies, results in the removal of vegetated cover, leaving the soil bare and vulnerable to wind and rain erosion. Overgrazing leads to the compaction and long-term decrease in land productivity. Rotational grazing enables pasture regeneration to continue with a retained soil cover. By combining rotational grazing with a machine equipped with TVS Eurogrip OHT radial tyres, farmers can continue to graze a pasture without damaging its regenerative potential.
How Do the Right Tyres Contribute to Soil Conservation?
Low Compaction Farm Tyres for Soil Protection
Heavy farm equipment often increases ground pressure, causing soil compaction and yield loss. TVS Eurogrip OHT radial agricultural tyres, such as the AR 600 and TR 45, are designed with a wider footprint and a more rigid carcass construction to reduce compaction. Their design allows for more even weight distribution, which helps protect the soil structure while supporting heavier loads in both field and road operations.
Radial Tyres That Balance Traction and Soil Health
Radial designs spread stress more evenly throughout the tread surface. Products such as the TR 27 Radial and TR 72 from TVS Eurogrip OHT are optimised for providing deep traction in loose soils without disturbing the topsoil. These tyres cause less slippage, save fuel, and prolong the life of the soil’s fertility.
Flotation Tyres for Wet and Loose Soil
In waterlogged or sandy soils, maintaining healthy soil is crucial. Flotation patterns, such as the FL 09 and IM 45, distribute load across a greater contact patch, resulting in significantly reduced ground pressure. By reducing rutting and maintaining ground cover, these agricultural tyres help farmers manage sensitive fields such as paddy, sugarcane, and silage areas.
Conclusion
Soil is the most valuable asset a farmer has. So it needs a combination of both time-proven conservation methods and modern agricultural solutions. From cover crops to crop rotation, reduced tillage, and water management, every step leads to healthier fields. However, no less important is the reduction of the impact of heavy machines, which is often invisible.
Low-compaction farm tyres by TVS Eurogrip OHT will help farmers work efficiently while protecting the soil for future generations. Our radial, flotation and implement tyres are engineered to conserve the soil – because if you conserve the soil, you conserve your harvests, your profits and your future.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the best techniques of soil conservation?
The best practices include crop rotation, cover cropping, conservation tillage, contour farming, and the use of low-compaction farm tyres to decrease pressure on the soil.
What are some natural ways that farmers can prevent soil erosion?
Through the use of cover crops, contour bunding, agroforestry, and soil cover, farmers can effectively combat erosion naturally without incurring significant input costs.
So why is soil compaction inadequate for agriculture?
Compaction closes off soil pores, which makes it more difficult for roots to grow and for water to penetrate the soil. Eventually, it decreases yields and increases input needs.
Which Tyres are best to avoid soil compaction?
Radial tyres, flotation tyres, and low compaction tyres by TVS Eurogrip OHT are most suited for soil protection and high-impact loads.
How does soil conservation increase farm profitability?
Soil conservation not only sustains soil fertility but also reduces erosion and input costs. Healthy soil yields consistently and guarantees long-term profitability for farmers.
