Organic Soil Conservation

There are claims that ploughing the soil in order to prepare it for planting increases the risk of soil damage compared to the use of herbicide such as glyphosates. This argument primarily applies to chemical-based and large-scale agricultural production, where vast farmlands are repeatedly ploughed and planted with the same kind of crops. The supporters of organic farming say that the use of artificial fertilizer instead of organic materials in cultivating the soil gradually destroys the structure of the soil, thus making it more susceptible to water erosion and wind.

The use of herbicides in order to kill weeds instead of tilling the soil could serve as a short-term solution to the problem. But using herbicides repeatedly could also affect the soil's microflora and microfauna, which contribute to the decomposition of plant residues that help rebuild the organic matter content of the soil. The use of herbicides can eventually boost the resistance of weeds.