Field Crop Production
Tillage Options

Conventional Tillage

As mentioned in the Introduction, this book defines conventional tillage as systems which attempt to cover most of the residue, leaving less than 30% residue cover on the soil. The moldboard plow is commonly used along with other tillage equipment.

Primary Tillage Equipment

The Moldboard Plow

The moldboard plow lifts and fractures the soil. It also incorporates residue, manure and fertilizer. Plowing is a first step in providing a good seedbed. An uneven job of plowing will require extra tillage passes in the spring to level over the ridges left by the plow.

Most moldboard plows work best within a specific speed range. At low speeds, the plow may not fracture the soil and will leave more residue on the surface. By increasing the speed, the soil clumps will be broken down into finer sizes and the plow will bury more residue.

Conventional tilled fields are usually moldboard plowed.

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Managing Residue with the Moldboard Plow

In situations with large volumes being plowed, such as with grain corn, plows may plug with residue. Use a plow with high clearance (greater distance between the beam and the plow bottom) because they are designed to handle large volumes of material. They may even handle residue immediately after harvest without discing or chopping stalks first. This reduces labour and energy inputs.

For the best residue management:

Plows that leave each furrow on its edge, as done by the European models, manage residue better than those which invert the soil. Inverting the soil leaves crop residue in a single, continuous layer beneath the surface. This "mat" of residue traps water above it which reduces water soaking into the subsoil. This in turn, leads to run-off and reduces soil moisture reserves during droughts. By trapping water near the surface, the mat may delay field operations and hurt crop growth during wet weather. Further buried layers in the soil are subject to nitrogen loss through a process called denitrification.

Moldboard plows with bottoms that place the soil on edge leave residue in strips which avoids problems. Residue forms a "wick" which helps water evaporate and traps snow.

Furrow slope too flat, plow set too shallow

Furrow slope too steep, plow set too deep

Good furrow shape

Best Management Practices for Equipment and Tillage

• Read the instruction manual for your equipment. Learn how to set it and operate it properly.
• Properly maintain equipment. Down time during busy seasons is very costly if planting or harvesting is delayed.
• Check machinery regularly (daily or even twice a day when in use). Catching a problem in its early stages saves money and time. Early detection may prevent the small problem from developing into a large one.
• Operate the machine at the suggested speed and load. This gives peak performance and longer life.
• Replace parts when they are worn. Worn parts will not perform properly and will increase the horsepower requirement.
• Tillage equipment operates best when it is level in all directions. Level it front to back and side to side. Check that all depth gauge wheels operate at the same depth. These adjustments create even tillage.
• Combine operations on each field pass to reduce the number of trips over the field.
• Use only the implements necessary to create an ideal seedbed. Soil conditions and results will help you decide which combination of equipment is best. Once you've created a good seedbed, stop tilling.
• Work the soil across the slope to eliminate water erosion.
• Work at the proper depth to prepare an adequate seedbed. Tilling too deep costs money and creates more wear and tear on machinery.

Best management practices for conventional tillage are numerous. If used properly, a conventional system can be environmentally friendly and save you some money. Take a look at the section on Non-tillage Options for more best management ideas that you can try on your farm.

Available in Published Version of Field Crop Production

• Soil Management - Soil Loss with Conventional Tillage
  • Tillage Erosion
  • Reclaiming Areas That Are Severely Eroded
  • Best Management Practices for Soil Management
• Residue Management
• Crop Rotation
• Nutrient Management
• Pest Management
• Equipment
  • Purposes of Tillage
  • Primary Tillage Equipment
  • Modifying the Moldboard Plow to Increase Residue Cover
  • Proper Plow Adjustment is Not as Easy as it Sounds
  • Secondary Tillage Equipment
  • Planting Equipment
  • Tillage Operations
• Trouble Shooting - Chart

Tillage Options - cont'd.

| Introduction | Understanding the Basics | Approaching Change | Tillage Options | Non-tillage Options |
| Table of Contents |

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