Contributions from Dr Jack Desbiolles (Ashworth et al., 2010) and Baker et al., (2007), Don Yule & Jeff Tullberg

Jack McHugh

- defined zones for wheels and crops

- each zone is managed independently and precisely

Controlled Traffic Farming

CTF is a sustainable farming system based on可持续农业系统

Permanent wheel tracks

Zonal management

What is a sustainable farming system?

Optimum resource management

Maximum productivity

Positive economics

Minimum environmental impact

Positive social impacts

Zero-Till conservation cropping systems

CTF – synergising technology

Captures gains from CA elements

CTF facilitates Zero till

Wheel traffic zones

Drain and dispose of excess water

Maximum traction and trafficability

Crop zones

Optimise production

Reduces energy use

Reduce soil variability and limitations

Resolves the conflict between plants and machinery

Plants grow better in non compacted soil and wheels

operate more effectively on firm soil

Synergistic with disc seeders

Penetration and draft

Wheel traffic zones

Drain and dispose of excess water

Maximum traction and trafficability

Crop zones

Optimise production

Reduces energy use

Reduce soil variability and limitations

Resolves the conflict between plants and machinery

Plants grow better in non compacted soil and wheels

operate more effectively on firm soil

Synergistic with disc seeders

Penetration and draft

How does CTF facilitate Zero till?How does CTF facilitate Zero till?

It is important to view CTF not only as an input technology but also

as a system component to be optimised in a farming system

Common track width & minimum tyre widths

Modular working widths

Guidance

layout

Ground area trafficked

Traditional tillage – 100%

Reduced tillage – 55-60%

Zero tillage – 30%

CTF ZT – 12%

Ground area trafficked

Traditional tillage – 100%

Reduced tillage – 55-60%

Zero tillage – 30%

CTF ZT – 12%

Improved timeliness (chemicals when wet)

Improved spray window (night applications)

Reduced chemical costs - accuracy, losses, variability, crop damage

Improved efficiencies from reduced overlap and corners

Increased WUE – increased infiltration – increased yields (dry years)

Improved sowing quality (placement, depth, emergence, uniformity

Reduced draft

Reduced rolling resistance – efficient use of smaller tractors

Reduced cost of fuels and other inputs

Driver fatigue

CTF system benefits

CTF agronomic benefits

The productivity of non wheeled soils

increases as natural amelioration

extends through the soil profile over

time

Wheel slip – shear – adding to

compaction from mass of machines

Rearranging soil particles –

broadly effecting of soil

physical process, variability and

constraints

Wheel tracks in CTF aiding the safe disposal of runoff & maximising infiltration

Compacted Area of Trial Site.

Low Infiltration and high amounts of runoff ( lost moisture)

Controlled Traffic Area

Controlled Traffic Farming Traditional Farming

Rainfall Time (h)

Rai

nfal

l and

Run

off

(mm

)

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 1 2 3 4

Rain

Wheeled, TilledWheeled, Zero-TillNon-Wheeled, Tilled

Non-Wheeled, Zero Till

60

70

80

90

100

TilledWheeled

Zero TillWheeled

TilledNon-Wheeled

Zero TillNon-Wheeled

Australia China

% of rainfall infiltrated% of rainfall infiltrated

Run off (mm)Run off (mm)

0.00

20.00

40.00

60.00

80.00

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Years

CT Soil Wheeled Yearly

Wheeling Effect on Plant Available Water McHugh

(Total in Top 300mm)Plant Available

Water (mm)

Increased Crop Performance when Water-Limited

Ea

rth

wo

rms

in to

p 1

5cm

/m2

Wheeling and Tillage Effects on Soil Health (Pangadorm)

Tillage and Wheeling Both Damage Earthworms !

0

25

50

75

100

125

Wheeled, Tilled

Wheeled, Non-tilled

Non-wheeledTilled

Non-wheeledNon-tilled

Field soil conditions are a direct reflection of farming system

philosophy

& Effect opener operation & performance

enhance soil quality = Yield and profitably

& Sustainability and climate change adaptability

Disc seeding systems – integral and fundamental for CA (residue, wue,

disturbance)…………but tines are ok until soil improves.

Active management of compaction (CTF) for superior disc performance,

soil structure, OM and improved rotations.

Transition process from CT – CA an evolving chain of steps

Residue retention, reduced tillage & herbicides – an integrated

cropping system approach - agronomy, management, technology &

performance assessment

Disc seeding & CTF are fine tuning = high quality CA & all benefits

realised

Conservation cropping approach

Introduce herbicides to replace tillage

This is what happens if we don’t change agricultural practices – Liangzhou County near Wuwei

City, Gansu PRC. It could happen here!!!!