There are two main types of tillage systems: conventional tillage and conservation tillage.

• Conventional tillage is a system that traditionally uses moldboard plows or chisel plows with sweeps, followed by disking, harrowing or other secondary tillage operations to incorporate residue, prepare a seedbed and control weeds.

• Conservation tillage systems, which include reduced tillage and zero tillage, produce benefits such as soil quality enhancement (increased soil organic matter levels over time), moisture conservation, erosion control, reduced use of fossil fuels and reduced labor requirement.