August 13, 2018

No-Till/Strip-Till

No Till Strip Till


No-Till: No-till farming greatly reduces soil disturbance, which in turn reduces soil erosion, builds soil organic matter and soil health leading to future increased productivity, improves infiltration and helps reduce phosphorus and sediment entering waterways.

Strip-Till: Strip-till farming is a modified form of no-till, where tillage is limited to a narrow zone in which next year’s crop will be planted and fertilized. Soil disturbance is greatly reduced compared to conventional tillage. Strip-till reduces soil erosion, builds soil organic matter, improves infiltration and helps reduce phosphorus and sediment entering waterways.

Resources

Short Article

Incorporating No-Till and Strip-Till into Farming Operations

Farmers across Iowa have been incorporating no-till and strip-till practices into their farming operations for many years to improve soil health and water quality. With no-till, soil and crop residue are left undisturbed between harvest and planting, other than nutrient injection.

With strip-till, residue-free strips — approximately six inches wide — are tilled ahead of planting in order to have a warmer and drier zone when row crops are planted. Crop residue is lightly moved to the row middles. A slight mound of soil is typically left after strip tillage in the fall, which can help limit soil erosion. Strips can be prepared in the spring, but producers generally prefer to do so in the fall to reduce spring time constraints and improve seedbed conditions.

Benefits of the Practices

The advantages of the no-till system include significant improvements in soil health (including reduced soil erosion and improved infiltration), reduced fuel, reduced equipment requirements, and potential increased productivity and profitability.

The advantages of strip-till include optimum placement of fertilizers for plant uptake, improved conditions for seed-to-soil contact at planting, reduced seedling disease problems and more rapid early season growth as compared to no-till. Strip-till advantages over conventional tillage include reduced expenses and time requirements as well as increased soil organic matter and improved soil physical conditions that can improve timeliness of spring field operations.

Both no-till and strip-till operators report that improved infiltration rates often result in less ponding in their fields which enable them to get into their fields in the Spring earlier than their neighbors using conventional tillage.

Longer article – technical

No-till and strip-till practices are being used across Iowa to reduce nutrients in water. Iowa’s water quality improvement strategy, the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy (NRS), outlines several rural practices that can be effective, recognizing the variability that exists in the weather, geographical landscape, and soil types. With no-till, soil and crop residue are left undisturbed between harvest and planting, other than nutrient injection.

With strip-till, residue-free strips — approximately six inches wide — are tilled ahead of planting in order to have a warmer and drier zone when row crops are planted. Crop residue is lightly moved to the row middles. A slight mound of soil is typically left after strip tillage in the fall, which can help limit soil erosion. Strips can be prepared in the spring, but producers generally prefer to do so in the fall to reduce spring time constraints and improve seedbed conditions.

The Benefits

No-Till: The advantages of the no-till system include significant improvements in soil health (including reduced soil erosion and improved infiltration), reduced fuel, reduced equipment requirements, and potential increased profitability.

The entire residue from the previous crop remains on the soil’s surface to protect it from erosion. The practice is well adapted to the colder and wetter soils of north-central Iowa, but also is used throughout the state. Farmers with highly erodible soils have found success pairing no-till with crop rotations and practices such as contouring and terracing to meet their conservation goals.

Strip-Till: The advantages of strip-till include optimum placement of fertilizers for plant uptake, improved conditions for seed-to-soil contact at planting, reduced seedling disease problems and more rapid early season growth as compared to no-till. Strip-till advantages over conventional tillage include reduced expenses and time requirements as well as increased soil organic matter and improved soil physical conditions that can improve timeliness of spring field operations.

Besides improved environmental quality, conservation practices also can have an economic benefit. Studies have shown study that adopting no-till and strip-till can save some operational costs with few yield losses.

Considerations

No-Till: There is a learning curve associated with the transition to no-till. It may also take a length of time (several years) to observe soil health changes. No-till may also lead to potentially slower early plant growth and increased seedling diseases in colder and wetter soils.

No-till may require producers to change weed management strategies. This may include the surface application of pre-emergence or post-emergence herbicide for weed control. Some producers resort to row cultivation if they experience increased weed pressure. No-till requires close management and timing of herbicide applications.

Implementing no-till requires spreading crop residue as evenly as possible during harvest. No-till planters must establish good seed-to-soil contact for proper germination. The incorporation of no-till may require adjusting current equipment. Pay close attention to a planter’s closing system, including possibly adjusting down pressure.

Strip-Till: Disadvantages include cost of special equipment, cost of the strip tillage pass, potential for excessive crusting and drying, potential for nitrogen losses and potential soil erosion of the tilled strip.

Social Media Posts

Twitter

Use no-till, strip-till to help keep nutrients and soil in your field #SoilHealth #WaterQuality (add icons)

You’ve read that strip-till disturbs less soil. How does it work? Join us (date/location) to learn more about soil conservation! #SoilHealth

We’re hosting a field day (add date/location) featuring #no-till and #strip-till practices. Join us to learn about improving your watershed.

Iowa #FarmersTakeAction as they use no-till and strip-till to help improve #soilhealth and water infiltration on their land.

Facebook Post

Using no-till/strip-till in your operation can help you achieve improved soil health, reduce soil erosion, reduce fuel and equipment costs, and potentially increase your productivity and profitability while improving water quality! Visit the IAWA website to learn more: https://www.iowaagwateralliance.com/no-till-strip-till/