a soil management system in which tillage is avoided as much as possible

Reducing tillage operations to the minimum required to plant a crop. For hoe and ox draft farmers it usually involves scratching or plowing out the row where the crop is to be planted and leaving the rest of the land untouched until weeding is required. Alternatively, hoe farmers may just dig holes where the seed will be sown. (Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)

A management practices whereby the use of secondary tillage operations is significantly reduced.

Any system of tillage that disturbs the soil less, and leaves more plant residue on the soil surface, than does conventional tillage; also referred to as "conservation tillage" and "minimum tillage".

A tillage system using only one or two tillage passes prior to seeding (e.g. one pass in the fall and one in the spring).