**A Technical-Economic Comparison between Conventional Tillage and Conservative Techniques in Paddy-Rice Production Practice in Northern Italy**

#### **Aldo Calcante \* and Roberto Oberti**

Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 2, IT-20133 Milan, Italy; roberto.oberti@unimi.it

**\*** Correspondence: aldo.calcante@unimi.it; Tel.: +39-02-503-16465

Received: 22 November 2019; Accepted: 11 December 2019; Published: 13 December 2019

**Abstract:** In this study a technical-economic comparison was conducted to compare three di fferent agronomic practices applied to paddy rice cultivation areas in Italy: one based on conventional tillage (CT), and two adopting conservative agriculture approaches, namely minimum tillage (MT) and no-tillage (NT). Data about production inputs (seed, fertilizers, agrochemicals, fuel) and working time were measured for each technique during the whole production season in three experimental fields. The total production costs were computed by adding the mechanization costs, calculated through the ASABE (American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers) EP (Engineering Practice) 496.3 methodology, and the production input costs. The results of the study highlighted a significant reduction of total costs obtained with both minimum (−16%) and no-tillage (−19%) compared to conventional tillage.

**Keywords:** conservation agriculture; minimum tillage; no-tillage
