What farming practice involves soil preparation, planting, and cultivation, but only minimally disturbs the soil?

The correct answer is conservation tillage, which is a farming practice designed to improve soil health while minimizing soil disturbance. This method involves preparing the soil for planting and cultivating crops but does so in a way that leaves a significant portion of the soil structure intact.

Conservation tillage primarily focuses on reducing the frequency and intensity of soil disturbance. By doing this, it helps maintain soil moisture and enhances the organic matter in the soil, which can contribute to better crop yields over time. This approach is beneficial for preventing erosion, enhancing water retention, and fostering a healthy ecosystem in the soil, which includes beneficial microorganisms and nutrients necessary for crop growth.

Other practices, while related to soil preparation and crop cultivation, do not fit the criteria of minimal soil disturbance as well as conservation tillage. Conventional tillage typically involves turning over the soil extensively, which can disrupt soil structure and lead to erosion. No-till farming represents an extreme form of conservation tillage that eliminates soil disturbance altogether, but it goes beyond the criteria of “minimally disturbs the soil.” Organic farming refers to a broader agricultural system that avoids synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and although it may involve reduced tillage practices, it does not exclusively define the method by which soil preparation and cultivation are