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Franklinton, LA | Before 1960 most farm tractors had less than 60 HP. Twenty years later in 1980, most farmers had 150 - 300 HP tractors. They had larger combines and 4-row rather than 2-row cotton pickers. In the 1970s we were told that you did not get a yield increase by subsoiling corn belt soils. People were saying the winter freezing and thawing cycles eliminated any problems with compaction. During the past 20 years corn belt farmers have purchased several disk rippers and subsoilers. During the seventies corn belt farmers were pulling 21' disks with 100 - 125 HP tractors. They could pull 27' disks with 150 - 175 HP tractors.
About 1965 Delta farmers in AR, LA and MS started incorporating Treflan in the spring. During March and April when the soil was moist, they used 2-wheel drive tractors with front mounted saddle tanks to spray and incorporate the herbicide. Disk, apply and incorporated the herbicide with a disk, disk again, form beds with a hipper, run a bed conditioner, plant, cultivate 3 times and apply insecticides and herbicides was a common practice for about 30 years. Cultural practices changed in the nineties when they switched to Roundup ready crops.
During the seventies it was claimed that over a 10-year period you could increase yields 3 or 4 years, have slightly reduced yields 2 or 3 years and have no change in yield for a few years with irrigation. Prior to 1995, irrigating to produce cotton and soybean was not a very common practice. For the past 20 years farmers have had consistently good yield increases with irrigation. I think these farmers are spending millions of dollars each year to mask a soil compaction problem. I don't think corn belt farmers have enough water to irrigate 50 or 75% of their land. Also, I don't think they want to spend the money to do this.
During the past 55 years I have spent a lot of time testing tillage tools on Delta farms. I really think Delta soils have changed during this time! In the seventies it would take several days for a field to dry enough for tillage after a 2" rain. Today you can be back in the field several days sooner.
Edited by DRester 9/28/2023 20:08
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Mikenesd here's another cover pic - well 2 of them
