ZERO TILLAGE (ZT) WHEAT CULTIVATION IN NEPAL: EXPLORING ITS METHODS, BENEFITS, CHALLENGES AND LIMITATIONS

Author:
Dinesh Yadavy

Doi: 10.26480/rfna.02.2025.58.62

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

Wheat (Triticum spp.), king of cereals is a staple crop that feeds nearly 40% of the global population. It occupies about more than 6 lakhs hectare of land with a production of over 2 million metric tons in Nepal. Zero tillage is a form of conservation agriculture that has emerged as a sustainable alternative of traditional conventional tillage minimizing soil disturbances, retaining crop residues and improving soil health and ultimately productivity. Despite, challenges such as soil surface acidification, low soil temperature, seedling emergence issues and compaction under prolonged zero tillage remains prevalent. Yet, global adoption of zero tillage has expanded significantly driven by its positive sides. Its future prospect is promising, particularly in the context of climate change and the need for sustainable intensification. Its role in carbon sequestration, cost reduction and resilience against resource degradation makes it highly relevant for smallholder farmers in Nepal. This article explores the various methods of zero tillage cultivation, its benefit, challenges and limitations in context of Nepal.

Pages 58-62
Year 2025
Issue 2
Volume 6