FIELD AND FORAGE CROP SEEDBED

PREPARATION

Common Tillage Systems

Conventional/Intensive Tillage

Reduced/ Minimum Tillage

Conservation Tillage: No-Till, Strip-Till, Ridge-Till, Mulch-Till

Reduced/Minimum Tillage

Leaves between 15-30% residue cover on the soilThis residue protects the soil from erosion

Accomplished with specialized equipment that gently tills the soil

Conservation Tillage

Leaves a minimum of 30% of crop residue on soil surface

Greatly reduces soil erosionIncreases organic matter

Reduces number of passes in field= less fuel, less compaction, less time in field

Conserves soil moistureRequires specialized heavy-duty equipment to “break” through crop residue and soil in one

pass.

No-Till & Strip-TillPlanting of crops directly into residue that

either hasn’t been tilled at all (no-till) or has been tilled only in narrow strips with the rest

of the field left untilled (strip-till).

Ridge-Till

Ridge-till involves planting row crops on permanent ridges about 4-6 inches high.

The previous crop’s residue is cleared off ridge-tops into adjacent furrows to make way for the new crop being planted on ridges.

Maintaining the ridges is essential and requires modified or specialized equipment

Mulch-Till

Mulch-till is any other reduced tillage system that leaves at least one third of the soil

surface covered with crop residue

Conventional Tillage

Leaves less than 15% crop residue cover by completely inverting the top 12” of soil.

Includes moldboard plowing, 2-3 secondary tillage steps and one or more primary tillage steps.

This system is adapted to very intensively cropped soils which are usually irrigated, fairly level, and produce 2-3 crops per year.

Selecting a Tillage System

Soil Type: compaction, erosionWater and Wind Erosion

Climate: Soil temps, damaging weatherWater Conservation: water availability, conserving soil

moistureIrrigation Method

Crop TypeSoil Fertility management: Organic matter, nutrient

availabilityWeed Pressure

Disease managementInsect Management

Cost: Fuel, Labor, Equipment

Conventional Tillage Systems

Land Leveling

Accomplished with laser planes.1%-.3% for most irrigated crops

Involves cutting and filling: scraping soil off high spots and filling in low spotsLaser Leveling improves efficiency of irrigation (flood and sprinkler)

Must be done in dry soil, free of vegetation

Test Soil

Test for primary plant food elements: N, P, KTest EC and Ph

Test for other elements/micronutrientsWith heavy cutting and filling, there will be irregularities where

large layers of soil were removed or filled.

Primary Plant Food Elements: Nitrogen

Essential element for building material in the plant.

Promotes growth, gives plants a green color, improves quality of leaf crops, and increases

protein content in all crops.Very mobile/ easily leached

Deficiency symptoms: Stunted growth

pale yellowish color “firing” of leaf tips and margins, beginning

at bottom of plantLow protein content

Phosphorus

Essential to all plant growth, active ingredient of protoplasm.Stimulates early growth and root formation

accelerates maturity, promotes seed production, contributes to general hardiness of the plantNot very mobile in soilDeficiency Symptoms:

Small growth, especially root developmentSpindly stalk

Delayed maturityPurplish foliage

Lack of, or poor fruit and seed development

Potassium

Not much is known about the function of potassium in plants, but like the other primary nutrients, it is essential to

photosynthesis. It enhances the plants ability to resist disease, cold and other adverse conditions and it functions in the process where starches and sugars and made from carbon

dioxide and water.Deficiency Symptoms:

Plant grows slowlyMargins of leaves develop a “scorched effect” starting on

older leaves.Stalk is weak and plants “lodge” easily

Seed or Fruit is shriveledPlants natural resistance to disease is reduced