SW Ontario | Dan H - 12/5/2012 09:01
The statement "we all know that tillage reduces OM over time", I have a dispute with that. We have been farming with tillage for 40 plus years and our OM is between 5 and 6. We farm in northwest Iowa. We use conservation tillage. Does not mean that we do not try new things. Am trying some rye on bean ground this fall to see how that works. Be sure and not paint with such a broad bush in your statement. On our more rolling ground trying to stay on a C/C rotation to built the soil even more. Enjoy reading and learning from this site. This is a big country with many different soil types to have a one size fits all thinking. Blessed to be a farmer and a steward of the land that our Creator has allowed us to use to make a living and feed the world. Dan
But what was the soil organic matter at before it was cultivated?
I am not trying to flame you or your practices. I'm just saying that when you look at land that has never seen cultivation, or at least not for a long time, it will have much higher levels of OM than fields that have been tilled. Cultivation is one of the main culprits behind that drop.
Your conservation tillage methods are probably why your soil OM is higher compared to other worked ground. But then again, I cannot say for sure without knowing your soil type. Some soils will "balance out" at a higher OM range under a tillage system than other soils. |
Organic Matter Going Down In No-Till
