Under PQNK, crops are cultivated on permanent no-till raised beds that are formed on levelled, non-compacted land. For this, the beds’ size is adapted to the size of the tractor and machinery wheels, so that the wheels are driving through the furrows, hence not compacting the beds. Beds are covered with organic mulch that can be locally procured by leaving...
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...
In a PQNK system, the layer of organic mulch should be thick enough to cover the soil surface and prevent sunlight from reaching the soil. This inhibits weed germination, resulting in a non-chemical strategy for weed management. Maintaining permanent biomass cover on the soil surface also protects the land from overheating in direct sunlight, which adversely affects the soil biota....
Increasing the spacing between plants, i.e., reducing plant density per m2 , should be done when soil is managed according to the principles of CA as in PQNK systems. This is because it is natural for tillering crops to grow more profusely in the more fertile soil environment that is created by PQNK practices: more soil organic matter, more soil...
Promoting diversification within the farming system increases biodiversity and results in greater land use efficiency and higher overall farm yield while enhancing carbon sequestration, especially when trees are included. Within a PQNK system, it is important to consider multiple strategies for achieving greater crop biodiversity. Introducing cover crops between seasons or using crop associations such as intercropping, alley cropping, relay...
Pedaver has developed machinery for mechanically forming raised beds and furrows and for mechanised direct planting through heavy mulch with precise plant spacing. Transplanting of young single seedlings in permanent no-till raised beds with precise spacing is also possible thanks to Pedaver’s innovations. Recent machinery even allows for forming the raised permanent beds while direct seeding in one single passage...
The PQNK system has been adopted by tens of thousands of Pakistani farmers because of the economic benefits it brings. Crops’ performances improve under PQNK because of the better soil environment created by the system. Root systems and canopies get bigger thanks to the optimised plant spacing and breaking the hardpan also gives space for the roots to expand. It...
