Conservation arable farming completely dispenses with deep tillage that turns the soil over, i.e. the plough. Conservation tillage originated in the USA and Canada to prevent soil erosion. The aim is to keep straw and harvest residues on the soil surface as much as possible. The topsoil is then only loosened and not turned.

A distinction is made according to the tillage depth and the proportion of the surface that is moved. In the 1970 s, the concept of strip till was developed, in which only the band along the seed slot is cultivated, combining the advantages of direct drilling and minimum soil disturbance.

Stubble cultivators and disc harrows are essential for conservation tillage. The relatively low power requirement compared to the plough enables higher working speeds and greater output.

Conservation tillage ensures that the harvest residues are incorporated and additional air is supplied. This improves the decomposition process because the microorganisms are stimulated. On top of that, the layer of mulch protects against erosion by dampening the force of raindrops. Because the lower layers are not moved, the natural structure is also preserved. Active soil life greatly increases the infiltration capacity of the soil.

Stubble cultivators or disc harrows make it possible to penetrate the topsoil and subsoil without leaving compaction at seed slot level, which means that soil life is less disturbed.