Growing crops on raised beds minimises soil disturbance to protect soil biota, improves soil structure, and promotes carbon sequestration. Also, with machines developed to the size of the raised beds, PQNK facilitates the large-scale implementation of no-till. In PQNK, soil compaction is completely avoided by letting the tires of the heavy machinery drive in the furrows between the beds. This guarantees driving through the land without compromising the soil structure where crops are planted.
Designing the field with raised beds allows for furrow irrigation which improves water-use efficiency. For rice cultivation, which is traditionally implemented in flooded conditions, raised beds facilitate the implementation of SRI principles as they are never submerged. The bed topsoil is kept in aerobic condition, avoiding the degradation of plant roots, while also supporting more abundant beneficial soil organisms. This is particularly useful in areas prone to flooding as raised beds allow proper drainage of water, therefore, protecting crops from suffocating.
Forming raised beds initially requires a significant expenditure of labour or capital (for mechanised construction), but this can lead to lower requirements for labour subsequently. Under PQNK, the formation of raised beds cuts the number of man-hours needed per hectare from 85 to 25, a 70% reduction and a reduction of water usage compared to flooding of 90%.
