A global dataset for crop production under conventional tillage and no tillage systems

No tillage (NT) is often presented as a means to grow crops with positive environmental externalities, such as enhanced carbon sequestration, improved soil quality, reduced soil erosion, and increased biodiversity. However, whether NT systems are as productive as those relying on conventional tillage (CT) is a controversial issue, fraught by a high variability over time and space. Here, we expand existing datasets to include the results of the most recent field experiments, and we produce a global dataset comparing the crop yields obtained under CT and NT systems. In addition to crop yield, our dataset also reports information on crop growing season, management practices, soil characteristics and key climate parameters throughout the experimental year. The final dataset contains 4403 paired yield observations between 1980 and 2017 for eight major staple crops in 50 countries. This dataset can help to gain insight into the main drivers explaining the variability of the productivity of NT and the consequence of its adoption on crop yields.

Automated summary

This study expands existing datasets and compares crop yields under conventional tillage and no tillage systems, providing information on crop growing season, management practices, soil characteristics, and key climate parameters. The dataset includes 4403 paired yield observations of eight major staple crops in 50 countries from 1980 to 2017, aiding in understanding the main drivers of variability in no tillage system productivity and its impact on crop yields.