CCE Oneida
CCE Agronomist Working with Local Farmers on Zone Tillage
Oneida County’s large dairy discussion group met with CCE staff at Brabant Farm in Verona to learn more about how soil compaction is affected by tillage practices. By digging a trench in two areas, one managed with conventional tillage and the other with zone tillage, the group was able to compare and contrast soil structure and root development of this year’s corn crop under the two systems.
Soil compaction is the squeezing of soil – often as a result of field operations – reducing the pore spaces available for air and water storage and movement. Compacted soil negatively influences seed germination, seedling emergence, root growth, nutrient uptake – all phases of crop growth and production.
Among the controllable variables that contribute to soil compaction are: traffic over the field; the number of passes; tillage; equipment weight and tire inflation; tire and axle number; working wet or poorly drained soils.
At Brabant Farm, the Van Lieshouts have been experimenting with zone tillage, with one of the goals being to reduce soil compaction. Zone tillage is a reduced tillage method that limits soil disturbance to the planting row, leaving the area between the crop rows undisturbed. In addition to reducing soil compaction, zone tillage offers potential benefits in the form of: preservation of soil organic matter; reduced costs of field operations; improved timeliness of operations; and greater crop tolerance of extreme wet or dry seasons.
CCE Agronomist Working with Local Farmers on Zone Tillage
Oneida County’s large dairy discussion group met with CCE staff at Brabant Farm in Verona to learn more about how soil compaction is affected by tillage practices. By digging a trench in two areas, one managed with conventional tillage and the other with zone tillage, the group was able to compare and contrast soil structure and root development of this year’s corn crop under the two systems.
Soil compaction is the squeezing of soil – often as a result of field operations – reducing the pore spaces available for air and water storage and movement. Compacted soil negatively influences seed germination, seedling emergence, root growth, nutrient uptake – all phases of crop growth and production.
Among the controllable variables that contribute to soil compaction are: traffic over the field; the number of passes; tillage; equipment weight and tire inflation; tire and axle number; working wet or poorly drained soils.
At Brabant Farm, the Van Lieshouts have been experimenting with zone tillage, with one of the goals being to reduce soil compaction. Zone tillage is a reduced tillage method that limits soil disturbance to the planting row, leaving the area between the crop rows undisturbed. In addition to reducing soil compaction, zone tillage offers potential benefits in the form of: preservation of soil organic matter; reduced costs of field operations; improved timeliness of operations; and greater crop tolerance of extreme wet or dry seasons.