On our family farm, we conducted a field experiment in which we planted 200 tubers (100 per row) in each experimental plot. We applied four different shallow tillage methods and compared them in terms of the number of sprouted tubers, yield quantity, quality of soil preparation, fuel consumption, and time efficiency. We used disc harrows, a seedbed cultivator, and a rotary tiller. With the disc harrows, we performed eight passes, with the seedbed cultivator, four and eight passes, and with the rotary tiller, one pass. The highest number of tubers sprouted in the treatment with the rotary tiller, and the lowest in the treatment with the disc harrows. The highest yield was achieved with eight passes using the seedbed cultivator and the disc harrows, while the lowest yield was obtained with four passes using the seedbed cultivator and the rotary tiller. The lowest fuel consumption per hectare was achieved with four passes, medium consumption with the rotary tiller, and the highest with eight passes. The highest field efficiency was achieved with the rotary tiller, and the lowest with the disc harrows at eight passes. Tillage with the rotary tiller produced the highest proportion of fine soil particles in the lower size fractions below 2 mm, while the other three tillage methods resulted in similar proportions of fractions, predominantly in the 2–4 mm size range. Based on all the obtained data, we conclude that the use of a rotary tiller is the most reasonable option; however, it is necessary to pay attention to the rotational speed during tillage to avoid excessive soil pulverization, which can lead to soil crusting.
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