Barry Fisher, Conservation Agronomist

NRCS, Indiana

Email: barry.fisher@in.usda.gov

Jump Start Soil ReclamationJump Start Soil Reclamationwithwith

No-Till and Cover CropsNo-Till and Cover Crops

Capturing the Potential of

High Soil Quality!

We Should Expect High Yields with High Residue Cropping Systems

Managing for Soil Quality Will Be Necessary

Are Initial Yields Sustainable ?Are Initial Yields Sustainable ?

Reinvestments That Pay $

•Drainage systems

•Lime

•Cover Crops

Soil Quality!

Reinvestments That Pay $

•Equipment

•Technology

•Buffers

Yield and efficiency!

Poor Structure= Yield Loss

Soil Nutrition

• Management of Base Cations Management of Base Cations Becomes More Important when soil is Becomes More Important when soil is disrupteddisrupted

• Ca- 70% Mg- 15% K- 3.5%Ca- 70% Mg- 15% K- 3.5%

• High Calcium Lime is preferred for no-High Calcium Lime is preferred for no-tilltill

Soil Nutrition

• Each 1 % of O.M. contains:

10,000 lbs. of C

1000 lbs. of N

100 lbs. of P

100 lbs. of S

Manage and Remove CompactionManage and Remove Compaction

Consider cover crops

→Maximize weight distribution

An in-line ripper may needed

Evaluate depth and extent

Soil Quality = High Yield Potential

Biodiversity is the fastest way to high Soil Quality

• Biodiversity provides-Flexibility-Resilience-Resistance

• Above ground diversity is a mirror for below ground diversity.

• Getting root diversity (deep, fibrous, tap…) Helps you tap into nutrients that are otherwise unavailable.

Jill Clapperton2008 NNTC

Diversify your cover

Brassicas and Oats

Build and Maximize

Biology and Vertical

Structure

Soybean root following

previous root channel

Drilled on Oct. 1 at 15 lbs./ac.

Roots down to 51” on April 8

Annual Ryegrass Cover Crop

DeSutter Farm-Fountain Co.

Corn Roots down 70”+ in AugustCorn Roots down 70”+ in August

•We can package a system of soil building practices!

No-TillNutrient Management

Cover Crops

Buffers

IN FY08 EQIP = $ 19 million•Nutrient Management-

–$3 million

•Cover Crops- –$3 million

•No-Till/Strip-Till-– $3.4 million

•Waste Utilization- –$2 million

EQIP Cover Crops – Acres per Year

Contracted

IN FY09 EQIP = $ 11.4 million•Cover Crops- $2 million

EQIP Cover Crops – % of Budget

Contracted

Field Office Technical Guide(FOTG)

Section IVSection IV

Seeding ToolSeeding Tool

• Google- eFOTGGoogle- eFOTG• March 2009March 2009• ExcelExcel

Create a Mix

SARE-Managing Cover Crops Profitably

SARE-Managing Cover Crops Profitably

Cover Crops

• Year-round bio-mass production should be targeted.

• Sequester these gains with continuous No-Till/Strip-Till Systems

How will you seed it?Manure plus Cover Crops

Tim Harrigan, MSU- Slurry Seeded OSR, Oriental Mustard, and other CCs.

Slurry seeded with dairy manure produced significantly higher total biomass

How will you seed it?Air Seeder on a Harrow

•43’ swath at 10 mph•Fast•Cheap•Provides a random plant spacing

How will you seed it?Fly it on

•Most flexible timing•Fast•$12-$16/ac•Provides a random plant spacing•Variable results?

How will you seed it?Drill it

•Most time consuming•Slower•$12-$16/ac•Provides row plant spacing•Surest results

COVER CROPTermination

• KILL IT EARLY! •KILL IT LATE!

EXPERTS AGREE

IT DEPENDS!

COVER CROPTermination

• PLAN EARLY

• KILL TOUGH ONES EARLY• Ryegrass- April 1, or before “Jointing”

• MAXIMIZE TRANSLOCATION• Spray on Sunny Days (>55 degrees)• Use AMS with Low pH Water• Avoid antagonism• NO TRIAZINE• Use 10 Gallons of Water or Less • Apply Early in the Day ( quit by 2 PM)

How will you Kill It?Herbicide…Avoid antagonism!

•Consider the modes of action

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Gyphsate 22 oz. Glypho 22oz plusDegree xtra

King

Bounty

Marshall

% control Glyphosate 51%

Plumer 2006

How will you Kill It?Herbicide…Avoid antagonism!

•Consider the modes of action

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Glyphosate 32 oz. Glyphosate 32 oz.plus Rimsulfuron

King

Bounty

Marshall

% control Glyphosate 41%

Plumer 2006

No-Till

Planter set-up and maintenance is critical

Spread the Weight!Spread the due…Residue!

It’s best to use a systematic approach

Reduced Inner Diameter (RID) Gage Wheel Tires

No-Till planter attachmentsNo-Till planter attachments

Reduced Inner Diameter (RID) Gage Wheel Tires- right side

No-Till planter attachmentsNo-Till planter attachments

Significantly reduces the weight directly over the see slot

RID

Walking Gage Wheels

Seed Firmer

Barry Fisher, State Agronomist

Email: barry.fisher@in.usda.gov

“…“…Expect Success!”Expect Success!”

Cover Crop Web Linkshttp://www.covercrops.msu.edu/http://www.covercrops.msu.edu/

http://www.sare.org/publications/http://www.sare.org/publications/

http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/efotg/http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/efotg/

http://www.mccc.msu.edu/http://www.mccc.msu.edu/

http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/regions/ag/http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/regions/ag/ag2.htmag2.htm