Ploughs are soil-working implements designed for deep tillage and turning the soil. They cut, lift and turn clods of earth to incorporate crop residues and organic matter and prepare a loose seedbed.
The main types are mounted reversible ploughs (standard in modern arable farming, with a pivoting frame for consistent turning direction), cultivator ploughs (classic bed ploughs), full-reversing ploughs for larger working widths, semi-mounted and trailed ploughs for very large working widths (up to 12 shares), as well as special-purpose ploughs for viticulture, forestry and specialist applications.
Common manufacturers include Lemken, Kverneland, Pöttinger, Vogel & Noot, Amazone, Kuhn, Maschio, Naud, Rabe and Gregoire-Besson.
Ploughs are used in conventional soil cultivation, in traditional arable farming, for incorporating farm manure or catch crops, and in seedbed preparation for maize, cereals, rapeseed and sugar beet.