No-Till Production Using the Roller-Crimper and Cover Crops in the Upper Midwest
2013
- North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program
- UW-Madison Dept. of Agronomy
Project Media
No-till production has become a common practice across the U.S. in conventional cropping systems. Approximately 35.5% of U.S. cropland planted to eight major crops (barley, corn, cotton, oats, rice, sorghum, soybeans, and wheat) was managed through no-till operations in 2009 (Horowitz et al., 2010). No-till systems provide environmental benefits, such as reduced soil erosion, increased soil organic matter, decreased runoff and improved soil infiltration, and improved soil structure and aggregate stability (Langdale et al., 1992; Moldenhauer et al., 1983; Edwards et al., 1992; Uri et al., 1999). No-till systems can also provide economic benefits with reduced fuel and labor costs due to less tractor passes over the field (Siemans et al., 1992).