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Benefits of no-till farming realizedBy D. Bruce Bosley CSU Extension Agent, cropping systems Colorado Many dryland farmers have realized the moisture conservation benefits of no-till farming systems especially in these dry years. The visual comparisons of conventional tilled and no-till wheat fields are striking. Fields farmed no-till are still green and completing grain fill while neighboring conventionally tilled fields are dry and have essentially prematurely finished. David Nielsen, Research Agronomist at the Central Great Plains Research Station near Akron, has determined that No-till practices alone can increase soil moisture availability up to 4 inches above fallow storage in tilled farming systems. David writes that "Crop yield is greatly influenced by the amount of water that moves from the soil, through the plant, and out into the atmosphere. Winter wheat yield responds linearly to available soil water content at planting (bu/a = 5.56 + 5.34*inches). Therefore, storing precipitation in the soil during non-crop periods through good crop residue management is essential to profitable crop production in the central Great Plains. Precipitation is stored most efficiently during the cool months of fall, winter, and spring, averaging 65 percent storage efficiency in winter wheat stubble. Precipitation storage efficiency has increased from about 22 percent under plow systems to about 40 percent under no-till systems over the entire fallow period for wheat-fallow systems. Precipitation storage efficiency increases with mass of residue on the soil surface and with upright orientation of the residue. Upright residues are effective at reducing wind speed and trapping snow. Good residue management through no-till or reduced-till systems will result in increased soil water availability at planting. This additional available water will increase yield in both dryland and limited irrigation systems by reducing level of water stress a plant experiences as it enters the critical reproductive growth stage." No-till also strongly influences the yield potential for dryland corn, sunflower, millet, and grain sorghum by providing better starting stored moisture profiles. These spring-planted crops are dependent on summer rains for good yields but having a good initial wet soil base at planting sets these crops up for a higher yield potential and less risk for crop failure. No-till planting time moisture has made the difference in getting a stand this spring while conventionally tilled and weedy fields have been implantable. No-till farming also benefits limited irrigation farming situations by saving and storing more moisture for the crop to use. No-till farming substitutes herbicide use for tillage. The herbicide trade off can be more economical than tillage farming with high fuel prices despite the higher herbicide costs we are coping with in today's markets. If you haven't "gone no-till" perhaps now is the time to consider its benefits. Please contact me, Bruce Bosley about this or other cropping systems or natural resource topics at 970-522-3200 extension 285 at Sterling or 970-542-3540 at Fort Morgan. 6/30/08 Date: 6/25/08
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