Continuing Education and
Communication Services
3614 Administrative Services Building
Ames, Iowa 50011-3614
(515) 294-9915
8/29/01
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Mahdi Al-Kaisi, Department of Agronomy, (515) 294-1923, malkaisi@iastate.edu
Mark Hanna, Ag and Biosystems Engineering, (515) 294-0468, hmhanna@iastate.edu
Del Marks, Continuing Education and Communication Services, (515) 294-9807,
delmarks@iastate.edu
Now is Time to Begin Crop Residue Management for 2002
AMES, Iowa -- An Iowa State University agronomist and agricultural engineer are encouraging farmers to make informed decisions about next year's tillage this fall. Whether the decision is for no-till, conservation tillage, or a conventional tillage system, harvest is the best time to begin residue management for next year's crop.
Mahdi Al-Kaisi, Department of Agronomy, says every field is different, but targeting residue cover of 30 percent at planting time can result in significant reductions in soil erosion. "Before crops come out, producers should know what tillage practices they will use in 2002. For those considering moving to a no-till system, fall is the best time to go for it because crop residue from harvest is still on top of the soil."
Mark Hanna, Department of Ag and Biosystems Engineering, says that no-till is a great way to go. "The benefits are obvious -- less time in the field, lower fuel consumption, reduced soil erosion and improved physical and chemical properties of the soil, such as soil structure that will increase water infiltration, conservation of soil moisture, and improved organic matter."
If the decision is made in favor of tillage, then choosing a tillage practice is the single biggest factor that affects residue management. Farmers need to know that there are many factors involved in tillage choices, including crop rotation, topography, soil type, and weather conditions.
Al-Kaisi says the first step is to determine why tillage is necessary. "The common reasons for tillage are to break up compaction, to provide for the next crop in rotation (e.g., limited tillage in heavy corn residue or leveling a field for seeding a cover crop), and to redistribute crop residue."
"Second," Hanna says, "if you decide you must do fall
tillage, you should consider the conditions. Working wet soil can compound
compaction problems, and disturbing or turning under residue on slopes
leaves soil exposed to wind and water erosion. If tillage has been required
in prior years to redistribute residue, now is the time to see if the
combine can be set up to distribute residue more evenly."
Going the extra mile to plan now for 2002 may take a little extra time
up front, but it pays off in the long run in terms of efficiency, reduced
soil erosion, and probably a more profitable operation.
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