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Spotlight - Penn State Extension: Wet Spring Magnifies Benefits Of No-Till Farming
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It is not unusual for Pennsylvania to experience plenty of April showers but this year was exceptionally wet. Some areas of Pennsylvania set new records for April rainfall. All of this moisture made it very difficult for farmers to keep their spring work on schedule. However producers who have adopted No-Till production practices had an advantage over farmers using conventional tillage.
With long term No-Till practices water infiltration and drainage improves. The soil develops a structure that is filled with macro-pores allowing for quicker water absorption and rapid drainage through the soil profile. This allows for the soil to dry out more quickly and enables planting or other tasks such as manure or commercial fertilizer application to resume sooner after the rain stops.
The improved soil structure with the No-Till system also will reduce the risk of soil compaction which can cause major damage to crop potential especially in a wet year as this one. Yield losses in seriously compacted soils can range from 15-50 percent. So any reduction in compaction will be a major improvement.
Several factors in No-Till circumstances contribute to the lower risk for soil compaction. There is a buildup of soil organic matter both on the surface and in the soil profile which provides better soil structure.
If the No-Till practice is combined with cover crops the plant roots from the cover crops contribute to organic matter build up substantially. The living roots of the cover crops also act as a glue holding soil particles together in a stronger soil structure.
If compaction does occur cover crops with large tap roots can essentially act as a drill boring hoes through compacted layers. This allows for better water infiltration and enables crop roots to penetrate the compacted layer.
In addition the better soil structure and quicker drainage will enable No-Till producers to begin planting earlier. With the many rain delays this year this is a very crucial advantage. Corn yields start to drop in most places in Pennsylvania if the planting date is later than May 15-20. With the high price of corn in the current markets losing yield to planting delays is very expensive and very hard on a farms bottom line.
Of course No-Till practices provide soil conservation benefits which are especially evident during high rainfall periods. With faster infiltration of rainfall, greater soil cover and soil particles bound tightly by greater organic matter the soil loss is greatly reduced. Saving the topsoil has great environmental benefits downstream but also improves current and future productivity on the farm. No-Till production is truly a win-win for all.
For more information on No-Till see: Steps to a Successful Transition to No-Till.
(By: Leon Ressler, Lancaster County Extension Director, Penn State Cooperative Extension. Reprinted from the Watershed Winds Newsletter.)
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5/23/2011 |
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