disc plough: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

A disc plough uses a series of concave metal discs to cut and mix the soil, often handling heavier residue and drier, harder ground better. A mouldboard plough uses curved blades (mouldboards) to slice and completely invert a furrow of soil, burying surface residue more effectively.

No, they are related but different. A disc plough is for primary, deep tillage. A disc harrow is typically lighter, used for secondary tillage to break up clods and level the soil after ploughing, or for incorporating surface materials.

A farmer might choose it for breaking new ground, cutting through heavy crop residue (like corn stalks), working in hard or dry soils where a mouldboard plough might struggle, or for incorporating organic matter without full soil inversion.

Modern conservation agriculture often minimises intensive tillage like disc ploughing, as it can disrupt soil structure, reduce organic matter, and increase erosion risk. It is a powerful tool but used less frequently in sustainable systems favouring no-till or reduced-till methods.

A heavy farm implement with a series of concave metal discs mounted on a frame, used for deep tillage by cutting and turning the soil.

Disc plough is usually technical/agricultural in register.

Disc plough: in British English it is pronounced /ˈdɪsk plaʊ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈdɪsk plaʊ/ or /ˈdɪsk plɑʊ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.