FIELD AND FORAGE CROP SEEDBED PREPARATION

Common Tillage Systems

Conventional/Intensive Tillage

Reduced/ Minimum Tillage

Conservation Tillage: No-Till, Strip-Till, Ridge-Till, Mulch-Till

Reduced/Minimum Tillage

Leaves between 15-30% residue cover on the soilThis residue protects the soil from erosion

Accomplished with specialized equipment that gently tills the soil

Conservation Tillage

Leaves a minimum of 30% of crop residue on soil surface

Greatly reduces soil erosionIncreases organic matter

Reduces number of passes in field= less fuel, less compaction, less time in field

Conserves soil moistureRequires specialized heavy-duty equipment to

“break” through crop residue and soil in one pass.

No-Till & Strip-TillPlanting of crops directly into residue that

either hasn’t been tilled at all (no-till) or has been tilled only in narrow strips with the rest

of the field left untilled (strip-till).

Ridge-TillRidge-till involves planting row crops on permanent ridges about

4-6 inches high.The previous crop’s residue is cleared off ridge-tops into adjacent

furrows to make way for the new crop being planted on ridges.Maintaining the ridges is essential and requires modified or

specialized equipment

Mulch-Till

Mulch-till is any other reduced tillage system that leaves at least one third of the soil

surface covered with crop residue

Conventional TillageLeaves less than 15% crop residue cover by completely inverting the top 12” of

soil. Includes moldboard plowing, 2-3 secondary tillage steps and one or more primary

tillage steps.This system is adapted to very intensively cropped soils which are usually

irrigated, fairly level, and produce 2-3 crops per year.

Selecting a Tillage SystemSoil Type: compaction, erosion

Water and Wind ErosionClimate: Soil temps, damaging weather

Water Conservation: water availability, conserving soil moisture

Irrigation MethodCrop Type

Soil Fertility management: Organic matter, nutrient availability

Weed PressureDisease managementInsect Management

Cost: Fuel, Labor, Equipment

Conventional Tillage Systems

Land LevelingAccomplished with laser planes.1%-.3% for most irrigated crops

Involves cutting and filling: scraping soil off high spots and filling in low spotsLaser Leveling improves efficiency of irrigation (flood and sprinkler)

Must be done in dry soil, free of vegetation

Test SoilTest for primary plant food elements: N, P, K

Test EC and PhTest for other elements/micronutrients

With heavy cutting and filling, there will be irregularities where large layers of soil were removed or filled.

Primary Plant Food Elements: NitrogenEssential element for building material in the

plant. Promotes growth, gives plants a green color, improves quality of leaf crops, and increases

protein content in all crops.Very mobile/ easily leached

Deficiency symptoms: Stunted growth

pale yellowish color “firing” of leaf tips and margins, beginning

at bottom of plantLow protein content

PhosphorusEssential to all plant growth, active ingredient of protoplasm.

Stimulates early growth and root formationaccelerates maturity, promotes seed production, contributes to general

hardiness of the plantNot very mobile in soilDeficiency Symptoms:

Small growth, especially root developmentSpindly stalk

Delayed maturityPurplish foliage

Lack of, or poor fruit and seed development

PotassiumNot much is known about the function of potassium in plants,

but like the other primary nutrients, it is essential to photosynthesis. It enhances the plants ability to resist

disease, cold and other adverse conditions and it functions in the process where starches and sugars and made from carbon

dioxide and water.Deficiency Symptoms:

Plant grows slowlyMargins of leaves develop a “scorched effect” starting on

older leaves.Stalk is weak and plants “lodge” easily

Seed or Fruit is shriveledPlants natural resistance to disease is reduced