Chisel Technology

Introduction

Productivity of the soils having high mechanical impedance layers at shallow depth is poor due to its adverse effect on the plant growth, especially rainfed crops. These soils impede the root penetration to fertile sub-soil region, the store house of moisture nutrients. The high mechanical impedance layers (hardpan) at shallow depths are developed either naturally or due to the tillage operations carried out in sandy loam, silt loam and silty clay loam soils.

The chisel technology was developed to reduce the sub-surface mechanical impedance of these soils. It involves chiseling of the dry soil to 30-45 cm depth at 50-120 cm intervals depending upon the location of impedance layers and row to row spacing of the plants. In this technology, a chisel, generally mounted in place of a plough, is used to break sub-surface soil layer.

The chiseling encourages deep root growth, and increases infiltration of rain and irrigation water, thereby increasing the water storage in the sub-surface soil and improving aeration in the root zone of temporarily water logged soil.

For further information please contact :

Indian Agricultural Research Institute,
New Delhi