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| I've noticed several posts here about notil and the evils of tillage and wanted to bring some fundamentals to light:
There are 2 definite advantages for notil:
1. Less equipment, fuel and labor required (but maybe a nicer sprayer) (huge deal at todays iron and fuel prices)
2. Potentially less soil erosion depending on the kind of tillage and soil/topology
These can be enough and has made expansion possible without nearly the investment or extra labor requirements a full tillage program would take.
On the other hand, from a 'big picture' look at tillage, not everyone doing tillage is an idiot. NCGA top yields are typically from a tillage system as well. A couple of major reasons for tillage are:
1. To take control of seed bed preparation
2. To manage compaction
There are lots of other reasons but it's important to be cautious since many of the other claims of either system often fall into a scale of 'maybe' to koolaid.
Given that though, corn has a potential yield far greater than we get (is it 700 bpa with an ear at every leaf node?). Both systems seek to reduce the effect of limiting factors - tillage aims to reduce limitation of mechanical problems in the soil, while notil would suggest leaving the soil alone allows for nature processes to take place which are disturbed by tillage. A potential for the next leg up in yield may be soil microbial activity where no til appears to be a better fit. It's hard to say since the, by far, major limiting factor is weather and it doesn't care about tillage.
Since our landlord situation has changed somewhat, I'm doing more notil soybeans and feel there is little risk if I can get them in the ground (kinze planter). Almost all varieties are suitable for notil and the newer coatings go even further to help it be successful. I am going to try to plant when it's not cold and wet (I hope). In my own case applying manure with a tank will cause some fall compaction and it will be something I'll have to watch as I do less fall tillage.
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To til or not to til
