No-Till: Making It Work - Introduction

Table of Contents

1. No-till Defined
2. Types of No-till
3. Calendar for No-Till Best Management Practices
4. Available in Published Version of No-till

No-till is one of this century's biggest breakthroughs in agricultural technology.

It gives meaning to the term "sustainable agriculture", because it is practical, profitable, maintains production targets, and protects soil and water quality on and off the farm.

For centuries, the moldboard plow was used to till land. It works well on flatter, wetter, fine-textured ground where solid manure, hay and pasture are part of a cropping system. But where moldboard tillage is used repeatedly on sloping, lighter, and medium-textured soils, it is a major cause of soil erosion. Most of us have witnessed one or more of the following: degraded farmland, eroded topsoil during snowmelt and rainstorms, dust storms in spring, sediment-choked streams, reduced yields, increased inputs, and dwindling returns.

In the past 30 years, innovative farmers have turned their attention to soil conservation. One area they've examined in partnership with researchers, extension staff and agribusiness is tillage. Their imaginative explorations have led us to the subject of this book.

Many who have adopted no-till, now swear by it. There are some farmers for whom no-till hasn't worked. Others are in the process of implementing it.

Whether you're a cash cropper, livestock producer or vegetable grower, you'll find information and tips on these pages that will help make no-till work in your operation. It's based on the combined experience and talents of no-till farmers, researchers, agri-business professionals, and soil and crop experts.

No-till Defined

In a no-till crop production system:

• the field is left virtually undisturbed from harvest to planting, except for nutrient injection
• fields are no longer plowed, and plant residues remain on the soil to offer protection from erosion
• a narrow seedbed is prepared by the planter or drill during the planting operation, to allow adequate seed and fertilizer placement
  • alternatively, the row strip may be pre-tilled during a separate pass
• weed control is accomplished primarily with herbicides, but shallow inter-row cultivation may still be used for emergency weed control.

Types of No-till

Strip Till

Planters and drills are set up with one or more coulters per seed row, and sometimes row cleaners, to prepare narrow strips of soil that optimize seed-to-soil contact. Strip till can be adapted to many conditions, regardless of crop.

Figure 1. Strip till.

Slot Planting

A slot is opened in untilled soil, and seed is placed at an appropriate depth. Several combinations of seed-firming devices and press wheels are used to close the slot, helping achieve adequate seed-to-soil contact. This is no-till in its purest form, and is especially suited to soybeans, wheat and other cereals on many soils. Slot planting doesn't work well in heavy crop residue, and moist, fine-textured soil.

Figure 2. Slot planting.

Pre-Till

A narrow strip is tilled with one of a variety of implements. The process encourages the loosening and decomposition of residue over winter, and speeds drying in the spring. Come spring, soils are ready to plant earlier. Pre-tilled strips speed germination and emergence, and help keep cereals in rotation. An extra pass over the field is required, but for some farmers, it's worth it.

Figure 3. Pre-till.

Ridge Till

Using sweeps, disc openers, coulters or row cleaners, the ridge is cleared for planting. Residue is left on the surface, between ridges. Warmer soil temperatures in the ridges encourage seedlings to push through earlier. Ridges are re-formed with a cultivation. This also provides mechanical weed control, reducing herbicide use. Ridges require controlled wheel traffic and reduce seedbed crusting. Ridge till also works well in fine-textured soils, especially during cold, wet springs.

Figure 4. Ridge till.

A Systems Approach to Change, Adapted from Don Lobb

A crop production system includes all the components that you control while producing the crop - such as management practices, crop inputs and soil conditions.

"A crop system is like an ecosystem. Every time we change one component, all of the other components are affected - often in a chain reaction." Don Lobb, Huron County

Figure 1. For overall effectiveness, each component in the system should be considered on its own and as part of the whole system.

Text Equivalent

In a management system, an introduced change in practice will always affect more than one component in the system.

The diagram on the left illustrates the principles of the no-till system concept. Key components of the system are placed around the perimeter. The arrows in the diagram point in both directions to show that each component affects the whole system - and the system affects each component. (Each component is interactive.)

Understanding the systems approach is the key to making no-till work. This book covers each component of this system, highlighting interacting components.

Calendar for No-Till Best Management Practices

Learn More About No-Till

• December - December: Attend farm shows, no-till meetings and tours. Contact local experts, agribusiness and extension staff to assist with troubleshooting.
  
• December - March: Read extension material. Try the internet.
  
• June - October: Visit no-till seed variety plots to evaluate varieties.
  

Nutrient Management

• January - March: Plan nutrient management practices.
  
• April - June: Apply starter fertilizers.
  
• May - October: Apply liquid manure.
  
• June - July: Inject nitrogen fertilizer or liquid manure.
  
• August - October: Soil test.
  
• August - November: Apply lime (if necessary)
  
• August - October: Apply solid manure.
  

Planting/Tillage Equipment

• December - April: Repair/modify planting equipment
  
• May - June: Cultivation and ridging in ridge till.
  
• June - August: Prepare drill for winter cereals.
  
• August - November: Pre-till or disc (if necessary).
  

Crop Rotation and Residue Management

• December - March: Study crop variety results. Place orders for spring planting.
  
• April - June: Renovate pasture by inter-seeding legumes using no-till.
  
• July - August: Spread cereal residue at harvest and bale straw.
  
• August - October: Plant cover crops and winter cereals.
  
• September - November: Harvest and spread residue evenly.
  
• September - November: Review crop rotation. Make changes where necessary.
  

Insect, Weed and Disease Management

• December - February: Repair spraying equipment.
  
• December - March: Finalize weed control program.
  
• April - May: Apply pre-plant contact herbicides and burndowns.
  
• April - May: Apply residual herbicides.
  
• May - June: Cultivate and band-spray in ridge till system.
  
• May - July: Apply post-emergent herbicides.
  
• June - August: Scout crops carefully and frequently for weeds, insects and diseases.
  
• August - November: Apply pre-harvest burndowns where appropriate.
  
• September - November: Make note of weeds at harvest.

Available in Published Version of No-till

• Making It Pay: The Economic Benefits to No-till Systems
• How It Works: A Case Study
  • Weed Control and Varietal Selection
  • Residue and Disease Management

   

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