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North Central Ia | Been strip till corn/no till beans for 12 years now. Did some side by sides with conventional tillage early on but haven't for a long time now. Results were virtually identical. We do a little strip till corn on corn every year and really feel that it works better than a disc ripped COC situation. Moldboard plowing would be much closer comparison.
Have done some fall stripping for beans different times but have seen very little yield difference vs no till beans. Always talk about doing some spring strip comparisons but time and equipment limitations tend to prevent it. (Planter tractor is strip till tractor)
My motivation to switch was trying own a lot less equipment of better quality than trying to maintain all the pieces required for conventional tillage. Also to reduce and remove fertilizer app charges from the cash flow.
In our area I no of no straight no till corn. We tend to be cold and damp enough in the spring that the warm strip to plant on is a big boost to emergence and stand. Think getting the p&k in a band under the root zone is another plus especially in high ph soils.
We do both corn and beans 30". Would love to have 15" bean planter but another planter isn't in the budget now. Plus white mold concerns tend to be higher in narrow row beans also.
Would agree with previous posters that RTK is almost a must. I will even take it one step farther and say implement guidance is important especially if mismatched strip till vs planter. (Strip 12 row plant 16 etc) | |
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Strip tillers in I states
