|
| I'll agree with you on corn stover removal....if you don't put anything back. If you could trade the stover for manure with a feedlot it would probably be a net wash in OM and nutrients. The only "extras" you'll get is somebody else's weed problem. Or if you collect, then spread the compost back it would be a net wash, and the compost would be carrying a high load of N.
The idea would be to change the stover from light and fluffy(problem) so something you can work with. If we could just figure out a way to decay the leaves/shucks over winter and spring a little more there wouldn't be a problem. Usually by June 1 the stover is decayed enough to work with, but on Apr 15 its like the day after harvest.
Also, the insect and disease buildup from all the residue on the surface is real. I can't do more than 3 years of COC, in a strip till program. The 3rd year there is incredibly heavy pressure, so much the amount of money you spend to fight it negates any revenue benefits from corn vs. soybeans. IMO I'm doing a C-C-S rotation.
And I tried and Aerway...not a fan. You make residue pockets under the soil surface which made for some pretty crappy seed/soil contact. It isn't an even distribution of residue within the soil, its in clumps. You pretty much need to drag a cultivator through it to spread things out before planting.
What are we trying to do here?
1. Keep the residue OUT and OFF of the new corn furrow...right
How do we achieve that?
1. removal
2. burying DEEPER than the seed
3. Burying to the SIDE
4. Keeping on surface to the side
Figure out a way to do ONE or all of those things well with limited trips/input cost and fits your tillage practices and you have something.
I prefer to keep in the surface to the side...there-in lies the challenge...how do I KEEP it there? | |
|
corn residue moving in strip till
