LIBRARY & LINKS

Whether you're a seasoned no-tiller or a beginner, you've probably come to no-till for improved profit potential, more efficient use of labor and capital, dramatic reductions in soil erosion, and preserving the environment. If you're new to the concept, no-till is best defined as a continuous & permanent system of crop production whereby each new crop is seeded directly into the previous crop's stubble (also known as stover) without any soil tillage or inversion. It's a bit more than just growing crops in the absence of tillage, since crop rotation and cultural practices must now suppress or avoid some of the weeds and pests, and because equipment and techniques will change. To learn more about the science and practice of no-till farming, visit these websites (see links) or browse our online library below.

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Proper Seedbed Preparation
by Lyle Carter USDA-ARS Ag Engineer
"The soil to seed contact should be controlled with a seed firming device such as a seed firming wheel rather than by firming the covering soil…If the planter does not disturb the soil below the seed, if the seed is pressed into that soil and if the covering soil has less moisture and lower density or greater pore space, a soil textural discontinuity exists at seed midline or slightly above. This discontinuity retards water loss from below while the loose soil above dries quickly, allowing higher temperatures and increased air permeability."
—Lyle Carter, ag engineer USDA-ARS, published in 1990

Dwayne Beck on fertilizer placement
"There is little or no evidence that strip till improves yields (as compared to proper no-till with fertilizer placement) sufficiently to overcome the additional costs and risks....In this series of [no-till] experiments, treatments that included both the pop-up and side-band starter blend placement were always in the high yield group. Using just one of the placements (side-band or pop-up) by itself was not as consistent."

Proper Methods for Evaluating Plant Spacing
by Dwayne Beck