Use Ripper Tine to Increase Your Small Grain Yields!

What is ripping?

• It is reduced tillage using a

ripper tine attached to a
mould board plough beam.

• A plough shear that is

locally and readily available
can also be used to open up
a planting furrow

Ripping being done before the onset of the rains

Step 1. Prepare rip lines Left: early crop establishment using a ripper tine and 2
donkeys
[June – September] Right: late crop – farmer waited for adequate draft to
• Remove weeds from previous plough (crop looks yellow)
season
• Open planting lines using a ripper
tine at 90 cm and a depth of at least
15 cm
Step 5. Top dressing
[January – February]
Step 2. Add fertilizer and manure
[September – October]
• Apply N fertilizer at 5–6 leaf stage; use 1
heaped beer bottle cap per 2 plants, i.e.
• Apply 1-2 handfuls of manure/compost for only half-cap per plant
a distance of 30 cm along each rip • If you can afford more N-fertilizer, use
line/furrow more in wetter areas, just after second
• If basal fertilizer is available, apply 1 level weeding
beer bottle cap for the distance of 30 cm
along the furrow/rip line
• Use more manure or fertilizer in wetter
areas Top dress with N; apply only one bottle cap
of AN per 3 plants

Step 7. Management in dry season

[June – September]
Step 6. Harvest • Remove weeds that are still in the field
[March – July] • Prepare the rip lines in the same positions
as last season and start all over again!
• Remove heads and leave stalks
standing in the field
• Cut stalks at the base
• Spread the cut stalks in the field,
Apply one level beer bottle cap of basal fertilizer between rows

Step 3. Planting
[November – December]
• Plant after good rains, i.e. after the rip
line has filled with water
• Place a seed in each planting station, i.e.
plant at an intra-row spacing of 30 cm
• Cover the seeds with soil
* Legumes could be incorporated in between the rip
lines, and these could be planted at their usual spacing Spread crop residues in the field – this
(i.e. 15 cm in the rows)
Timely weeding is very important. improves fertility, reduces erosion
Step 4. Weeding and thinning It requires extra work, but timely
[December – February] weeding can increase yield by up
• Thinning: 2–3 weeks after to 50% Conservation agriculture leads to bigger harvests
germination, leaving 1 plant per and more fertile land.
planting station
• First weeding: as soon as weeds To learn more contact your local AGRITEX office
start emerging
• Second weeding: 4–6 weeks after
crop emergence