Plowing with full turn of the layer (in Fig. I) – the most ancient type of cultivation, which was used in the development of the steppe virgin lands. The main task of plowing virgin lands is to destroy the vegetation cover, deprive it of its vitality. Plowing with full turnover of the seam allows to achieve these goals, as vegetation, embedded in the bottom of the furrow, is completely deprived of sunlight and dies. Full revolution of the layer is achieved by using working tools with helical surfaces, provided that the width of the layer b ≥ 2a, where a – its thickness.

The swathing of the layer (in Fig. II) began to be used almost two centuries ago in the cultivation of cohesive sodded soils. Proceeding from the theory of mineral nutrition of plants, the main task of this type of plowing is to provide the largest surface of the arable land in order to maximize the impact of air, heat and light on the soil. This type of tillage is obtained by using helical working surfaces, when the width of layer b < 2a. When plowing with a plough, voids (grooves) are formed, which disturb the water-air regime of the soil, which leads to rapid drying of the soil. The plowing turns out ridge, but most importantly, it does not completely suppress the vitality of the turf. At the joints of layers, unconsolidated turf appears, and in the depths of formed furrows, rain moisture accumulates, which contributes to growth of unconsolidated and breaking through turf. To get rid of this deficiency with the help of anglosnim, a small triangular layer of soil is cut off from the field side, which is dropped to the bottom of the furrow (Fig. III). As a result, there is no turf at the joints of layers, and the layer cut by the anglosnim and dropped to the bottom of the furrow, as if it seals the joint from the bottom side, making it difficult for the turf to grow and come out to the day surface.

Cultural plowing, or plowing bodies with cylindrical (cultural) working surfaces and skimmers (Fig. IV), is used when processing light old arable soils, which in the process of their processing plows with screw working surfaces do not form a layer, and scattered on the structural units. The skimmer or dernosnim (jointer) cuts the tetrahedral soil prism from the layer and dumps it to the bottom of the furrow. In doing so, the main layer, being freed from most of the turf, is better crumbled and more completely embedded plant residues.

The skimmer’s working width is 2/3 the working width of the main plough body. If its working width is set equal to b, you get a two-tier plow (Fig. V). Double-deck ploughing is used for tillage of crops requiring increased working depth (e.g., beets, cotton).

Rhombic plowing got its name due to the shape of the cross section of the layer, resembling a rhombus (Fig. VI). The rhomboidal cross-section of the layer is formed as a result of undercutting the soil with two plows: one from the side of the bottom of the furrow, the other from the side of the furrow wall. The latter is made in the form of a part of a spherical disc. Rhombic ploughing allows getting a wide open furrow, in which right wheels of a tractor freely roll over. The disadvantages of this type of cultivation are high specific material capacity of technical means (1,45 … 1,9 times higher), not enough complete embedding of plant residues (58 … 97%), the possibility of turf reaching the day surface at the joints of layers.

Non-moldboard plowing (Fig. VII) is carried out periodically, usually once in 4-5 years, in areas of insufficient moisture, on soils subject to wind erosion and on slopes. It is carried out by plough bodies without mouldboards. Shoeless plowing is a type of deep loosening. The main task is to increase the water permeability of the soil and maximize moisture retention.

Plowing with soil deepener (Fig. VIII) is used on sod-podzolic soils with relatively shallow podzolic layer (podzol). Since when podzol is brought to the surface, soil fertility decreases, the cultural plowing with turnover of the layer is carried out to a depth equal to the thickness of the cultivated layer. Podzolic layer is only loosened by soil ploughs, as a result soil-forming processes start in it and in some years it becomes fertile.

Plowing with ploughs with cut-out bodies (Fig. IX) is used on sod-podzolic soils. The loosened podzolic layer passes through the plough body notch and remains at the bottom of the furrow, the cultivated layer falls on the plough body, is overturned, crumbles and buries the loosened podzolic layer. Thus, only a small part of the podzolic layer, rising on the lintel between the ploughshare and the mouldboard, mixes with the cultivated layer, forming inclusions. The resulting soil-forming process leads to the inclusions and increases the thickness of the layer.

Three-tier tillage (Fig. X) is applied on solonetz and podzolic soils. Three genetic horizons are often distinguished in columnar solonetz and podzols: upper humus fertile layer (marked with number 5 in Fig.), middle solonetz or podzolic infertile and even harmful for plants (number 6 in Fig.) and lower carbonate or illuvial layer rich in gypsum, lime and calcium (number 7 in Fig.). Of the three different methods of tillage proposed by different authors, the most common is the method of Academician V.P. Mosolov. It is based on the use of lime, gypsum and calcium contained in the lower carbonate or illuvial soil layer. According to this most economical method of reclamation the top fertile layer 5 is turned around and loosened, but remains in place, the middle infertile solonetz or podzolic layer 6 is moved down, and its place is taken by the lower carbonate or illuvial layer.

Smooth plowing – plowing without pile ridges and breakage furrows, which is carried out by plows designed for smooth plowing: turnover, front, shuttle, rotary, key and balancing. Ploughed field has a leveled surface, thereby providing more favorable conditions for plant growth and the work of machines performing the following technological operations. Yield of cultivated plants with smooth plowing increases by 5-10%, productivity of machines – by 10-15%, in addition, during harvesting the losses of crops are reduced.

In addition to the above types of plowing, in some circumstances use special types of tillage, such as on slopes step, combined and combined-step cultivation. At the staggered ploughing the plough bodies, alternating through one, have extended tines and therefore they till deeper, forming the stepped bottom of the furrow. In combined ploughing, shoeless and mouldboard bodies alternate. As a result, stubble remains in the passages of shoeless bodies, and the mouldboard bodies block it, forming ridges. Combined plowing is a combination of the two types of plowing. The main task of such types of plowing is to reduce water runoff on the slope, i.e. to prevent water erosion of the soil.