Which practice aims to minimize tillage to enhance soil health?

Conservation tillage is the practice that specifically aims to minimize tillage to enhance soil health. This method involves reducing the frequency and intensity of soil disturbance. By minimizing tillage, it helps maintain the soil structure, encourages microbial activity, and preserves organic matter. Healthy soil is essential for sustainable agricultural productivity, as it improves water retention, reduces erosion, and increases fertility.

In contrast, cover cropping is focused on planting crops that cover the soil during off-seasons to prevent erosion and improve soil health but doesn't directly minimize tillage itself. Traditional plowing involves significant soil disturbance, which can lead to soil degradation. Strip cropping is a technique that involves growing different crops in alternating strips to reduce erosion and manage nutrients but is also not primarily designed to minimize tillage. Therefore, conservation tillage stands out as the practice mainly aligned with the goal of reducing tillage and promoting soil health.