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The Benefits of No-till Wendy Kindig, Resource Conservation Specialist |
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This article is the first in a series of four focusing on no-till farming. The series will cover the following topics: the benefits of no-till, manure and no-till, preparing to start no-tilling and making no-till work for you. This first article will cover the benefits of no-till. The benefits of no-till are as varied as the many aspects of farming itself. Conservation-wise, there is less soil erosion. Agriculturally, water infiltration and soil holding capacity increase so plants are less affected by dry spells. Ecologically, soil quality and soil life improve. Economically, fewer trips over the field save fuel and time. So what do those benefits really mean? And how does is effect your farming operation?
Money talks, so we’ll start with the economic benefits.
Studies done in So, you can save some money. How else can no-till help you? After a no-till system has been established, your fields will have increased water infiltration and a higher water-holding capacity than with tillage systems. This is due to better soil health and improved soil quality. Soil health is a gauge of the stability of the organisms in the soil ecosystem. Soil quality includes soil health but also takes into account the chemical aspects of the soil, such as pH. Soil health and soil quality take time to improve. This improvement begins with plant residues. Three to five years are needed for residue to build on the surface. At first the residue just sits there, and nothing seems to be happening. The initial changes are occurring underneath the residue. The soil ecosystem is rebuilding itself. Earthworms, fungi, and bacteria populations increase. Annual tillage destroys the habitat of these organisms, reducing their numbers. The effects are similar to a tornado flattening your house and barn every year. As the soil ecosystem begins to grow, crop residue levels stabilize. Changes in the soil are occurring. The organisms begin to bond soil particles together creating soil structure. Fine roots from previous crops begin to decay creating small channels. Crop residues dissipate energy from rain drops so surface crusting does not occur. All of these changes allow water to infiltrate faster. Soil structure develops as the ecosystem continues to grow. Soil structure is the ability of the organisms to bind soil particles together. These particles make clods soft enough for roots to move through, but hard enough to bear a load without easily becoming compacted. As soil structure develops, the soil is able to infiltrate water at a faster rate. Therefore, more water is available for the plants to use during dry spells. A word of caution, fields that have a high clay content may not benefit from the increased infiltration rates of no-till. Clay soils may expand and close small channels that help infiltration increase. Long term no-till situations reduce soil erosion. Crop residue protects the soil surface from the rain drops’ impact. When a raindrop hits crop residue, the energy is dispersed by the residue. Without the residue, the rain drop hits bare soil and causes soil particles to become suspended in the drop. In addition, higher infiltration rates result in less runoff during storms. When runoff does occur, it carries less soil because the soil organisms bind particles together so soil is not easily picked up by moving water. Cover crops reduce erosion, increase residue and help no-till systems to develop faster. Cover crops should be used in low residue situations such as after corn silage. When the roots of cover crops decay channels are formed, increasing infiltration. The extra organic matter provides a steady supply of food for the soil organisms in the early years of no-till. There are many benefits of no-till. Soil erosion lessens. Water infiltration and soil holding capacity increase so plants are less affected by dry spells. Soil quality and soil life are improved. Fewer trips over the field save fuel and time. Using no-till may help you get your crops planted on time in unusual weather. Remember to look for the next article which will focus on manure and no-tilling. |
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Wendy Kindig, Resource Conservation Specialist |
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This is the second article in a series of four discussing no-till farming issues. The first article discussed the benefits of no-till. This article will focus on manure management issues in a no-till system. There are a variety of issues that must be considered; including nitrogen availability, odor, cover crops and manure injection. The biggest agronomic concern is nitrogen availability. Same day incorporation will result in 40%-75% of the nitrogen to be available for the crop, depending on manure type. If tillage occurs seven or more days after application, 15%-20% of the nitrogen is available. This would be the same as not incorporating at all, as in a no-till system. Also consider that a half inch of rain has the same effect on nitrogen availability as tillage. As long as soil tests show phosphorus or potassium levels are at optimum or below; manure application rates can be adjusted to supply the needed nitrogen. In situations where nitrogen availability falls short of the recommended level without tillage, the producer must consider the cost of tillage and loss of soil structure versus the cost of extra fertilizer. Injecting manure saves nitrogen and reduces odor. This can only be done with liquid manure. Injection has the same nitrogen availability for crop use as immediate incorporation. To inject manure requires the expense of new equipment and/or updating spreaders. It may be more economical to hire a certified manure hauler to spread your manure. Injection may make non-farm neighbors more comfortable, and they may feel that the producer is being considerate. While planning to start injecting manure, make sure injection is compatible with your conservation plan. Most types of injection cause significant soil disturbance. For the producers handling manure as a solid, there is no easy solution. Composting can reduce odor without significantly reducing the total amount of nitrogen. It produces fine-textured compost that can be spread thinly and is easy to plant into. To begin composting, there is an initial monetary outlay to build or convert a facility. Composting requires time to properly manage it and puts a lag time between clean out and spreading. For those not interested in composting; a fine, well decomposed manure is best for a no-till situation. It can be spread evenly; distributing nutrients evenly and creating a situation that will work well with a no-till planter. Whether you have liquid or solid manure, if the producer’s number one concern is odor, a no-till system is probably not for them. Odor can be reduced but not eliminated by implementing some of the previous practices.
The only law that requires incorporation is Cover is very important in no-till. Crop residue can help hold liquid or solid manure in place. If fall spreading is necessary, cover crops can be the answer. Cover crops can take up extra nutrients, mainly nitrogen, in the soil. They need to be planted early enough to get a good start, usually September. When they are killed in the spring, they decompose and release the nutrients for the next crop to use. Or the crops could be cut for feed eliminating the nutrient recycling. This is good if your fields are above optimum levels for phosphorus or potassium. Cover crops also provide extra cover for fields with low residue, such as corn silage or soybean fields. They create more organic matter, even when harvested, which is key in the no-till system. The addition of manure to a no-till system improves soil quality by increasing organic matter. This additional organic matter can make a smoother transition to no-till, because the soil structure improves faster. Good soil structure allows more water infiltration. Stable soil structure is the most important part of a no-till system. Once the soil structure is stable, yields should become similar to tilled yields. The few years while the soil structure is forming usually have lower yields. Manure as an organic matter addition helps shorten the time for the soil structure to form. Tillage destroys the soil structure, so any tillage after no-tilling for a few years effectively puts the producer back where they started. All additions in no-till are made to the top two inches of the soil and can result in a condition known as “acid roof”. Basically, the addition of pesticides, fertilizers and manure result in a lowering of the pH in the top two inches of the soil. This layer should be tested annually or more frequently if your pesticides don’t seem to be working properly. If surface pH is below 6.2 and a standard soil test doesn’t require lime, 2,000 lb/ac of lime should be surface applied. This will bring the surface pH up. Manure will work best with no-till when the producer has a limited concern about odor, is willing to use a cover crop or has high crop residue levels, and is willing to make changes to application rates to adjust for lower available nitrogen. Each producer must make a decision based on the circumstances best for their operation. Manure application and no-till systems are compatible. Remember to look for the next article which will be focusing on preparing to begin no-tilling and the last article which will cover making no-till work for you. |
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Wendy Kindig, Resource Conservation Specialist |
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This is the third in a series of four articles focusing on no-till farming. This article will focus on converting to no-till and the issues you need to plan for before converting.
There is more to converting to no-till than purchasing a no-till
drill and planter. A variety
of concerns need to be addressed in the field before converting to
no-till. These concerns
include the following field conditions: pH,
surface roughness, and deep compaction.
If soil tests show a need for lime, add it before your last
tillage operation. The
tillage will distribute the lime throughout the plow layer.
After starting a no-till system, lime is added to the surface,
and it will take years before it moves through the plow layer.
Optimal soil pH can be maintained by regular surface applications
of liming materials. The surface of the field needs to be fairly smooth. Ruts and other uneven surfaces should be tilled out. Planting into an uneven surface results in varying seed depth and an uneven stand. Planting through a pile of residue has the same results. Usually it is easier to plant through standing corn stalks than a mat of chopped stalks, because the planter will not have to cut as much residue to get the seed to the proper depth.
Prior to starting no-till farming, you must consider deep
compaction. If you feel
there is deep compaction due to rutting or heavy traffic, a soil penetrometer can be used to check and identify the depth of
the compacted layer. Deep tillage is recommended to break up the
compaction and should be done just under that layer. This allows the roots
to move through the soil profile. Deep
rooted plants, such as clover or rye, should be included in the rotation
to prevent new compacted layers from forming.
Another thing to consider is where in your rotation to start. For example, no-till corn after fall-killed hay is generally the easiest place to start, because soil structure improved while the field was in hay. Small grains can be easily planted into corn silage or soybean residue. The low residue levels of these crops make it easy for a beginner to have success. If you are currently no-till planting some crops, it is easiest to start with those and then add the remaining crops over time. For example, if you no-till your soybeans now, just no-till them the first year. In the second year, plant your soybeans and the next crop in your rotation that follows the beans with no-till. Each year you add another crop to no-till and additional fields until you are completely no-till. The key to this scenario is not tilling a field after it has been no-tilled. Generally speaking, it is easier to no-till just a few fields at first until you feel confident you can get good stand establishment with the no-till planter or drill. By slowly switching just some fields you can minimize the risk. As with anything new, some experimentation is required to figure out what equipment setup works best for your farms and soil types. For anyone who genuinely wants to begin no-till farming, educate yourself. It is the most important thing you can do before you start. Talk to others with experience and learn from their mistakes. Attend field days; go to workshops; talk to your equipment dealer, your seed dealer, your pesticide supplier and your extension agent. The more you learn about setting up your equipment, choosing the appropriate seed and using the proper pesticides, the better. In order to successfully switch to no-till, you need to plan ahead. The earlier you start, the more prepared you are when it comes time to put the seed in the ground. Remember to look for the last article in the series which will focus on common problems and what to expect during the transition to no-till. |
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By Wendy Kindig, Resource Conservation Specialist
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This is the final article in the series of four on no-till cropping systems. Previous articles discussed the benefits of no-till, preparing to no-till, and manure in a no-till system. This article will discuss some of the common problems and what to expect when starting a no-till system. Weed control is an important topic regardless of tillage. It becomes critical in a no-till situation that the weeds are identified and the proper herbicides are used. Getting a good weed kill prior to planting is important. By starting out with the right weed control, some of the common weeds in long term no-till such as sumac trees and poison ivy can be prevented. There is no reason to have weedy fields if you are no-tilling because herbicide formulations have advanced to control any weed. Choosing a seed variety that performs well under no-till conditions is important. Your seed dealer should be able to help you find the variety that will work best for you. Penn State Cooperative Extension has results from their yield trials that can be valuable when selecting a variety since they do some no-tilled trials. There are a variety of potential problems to address at planting time. As you start to plant, check seed depth so you know how the planter/drill is working in actual field conditions. Check the pressure on the closing wheels to make sure the seed is properly covered. On the coulters, check for hairpinning of residue. This is when the residue is pulled down into the seed trench instead of being cut by the coulters. Hairpinning results in poor stand establishment because many of the seeds have poor soil contact. Also check your row cleaners to be sure they are working properly. Most importantly, plant when the field conditions are right. The temptation with no-till is to plant when the ground is too wet. Just because you aren't making ruts, doesn't mean you aren't causing compaction or that the ground is fit for planting. Once the stand is established, regular, weekly crop scouting for pests is necessary, regardless of how you planted. Slugs are more prevalent in no-till corn and can cause significant damage in cool years. Slugs and other pests can establish large populations quickly and once they are established, it is difficult to minimize damage. Walk into the field at several places and examine for pests or damage. If you can see the damage from your truck, it has probably already affected your yields. Once you are aware of a pest, you can determine if treatment is necessary. The first five years of conversion to no-till are the most challenging. Generally, yields are two to five bushels lower than your old tillage yields the first few years. This is because the biological activity in the soil is almost nonexistent and builds over time. The first few years you are establishing a no-till system that will increase your organic matter and the amount of biological activity. As the organic matter and biological activity increases, you will see the benefits of a no-till system and your yields will rebound. Establishing the system takes time, so be patient. Your soils have become "addicted to tillage" and will need some time to recover. This concludes our series on no-till. Previous articles discussed the benefits of no-till, preparing to no-till, and manure in a no-till system. Hope you found these articles informative and good luck no-tilling! Capital RC&D. Information on Park the Plow program and initiative to increase usage of no-till farming. http://www.capitalrcd.org/noframes/index.htm |
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