In the past eight years I've walked a lot of no-till corn fields in Fond du Lac County. Some have been outstanding, others have been disasters. Here's some thoughts on why or where I think no-till corn can work and why or where it's best left alone for the neighbors to play with.
The success of no-till corn production appears to boil down to four factors: attitude, previous crop, soil type, and the corn planter. Note that three of the four factors are controllable. The other, soil type, is usually not.
Attitude is a key component to being successful in all aspects of life, not just farming. Producers that try no-till corn production with a half-hearted attempt at success usually end up with about half a crop. Success with no-till corn always involves some advanced planning and the attitude that you're going to make it work.
The second key to success, previous crop, can make a big difference in the performance of no-till corn. Corn following soybean is usually the easiest and most forgiving situation assuming that the previous soybean crop residue is evenly distributed behind the combine. Because there is not an abundance of crop residue with soybean and the soil is usually "loose and mellow", no-till corn can be planted with most unmodified conventional-type planters.
No-till corn planted after alfalfa sod also has resulted in excellent results for a number of corn growers over recent years. The important key in this situation is to make sure the sod is fall-killed. Where I have seen many disasters is when the sod was spring-killed either before or after the first-cut hay harvest and then no-tilled to corn. Environmental conditions have to be perfect (and usually aren't) for this system to match conventional production practices.
My experiences with local farmers has confirmed that the no-till corn following corn scenario is easily the most difficult situation to master. I suggest not even trying it unless the previous crop residue is evenly spread, you're the owner of or have access to a no-till corn planter, and you've set the planter up with something like the Rawson system where some strip tillage is performed over the seed row. Additionally, you will need to have a well-thought perennial weed control program in place. Even with all these components covered, start with a small acreage and work your way up. No-till corn following corn is not an easy situation to manage and only gets easier after several years in a no-till production system.
The third factor, soil type, is one not easily controlled. Some would say that no-till corn is feasible regardless of soil type. I'm not to that point, at least when it comes to planting all corn acres using a no-till system. If your the proud owner of clay soil that is semi-poorly drained and slow to dry in the spring, it's probably best to focus your farming efforts on something other than no-till corn.
On a small scale, I've seen no-till corn work with local research trials on our red clay soil types over the past three years but it was not without increased inputs and extreme patience to wait for the soil to dry (or almost dry) in the spring. I can't see that this would be feasible where larger acreages are to be planted. The yield penalty for delayed planting, poor seed-soil contact, and delayed seedling growth on these heavy soils is just too great in years like 1993 and 1996. Perhaps a no-till system where strip tillage is done in the fall might be feasible but that is yet to be proven under local conditions.
On most of our loam soils, I see no reason why no-till corn production practices won't work. Many area growers are doing a fantastic job with no-till production and reaping the soil conservation and economic benefits of the system. Most of these producers eased themselves into the system and made the effort to learn as much as they could about no-till corn production before taking the whole farm plunge.
Finally there is the matter of the corn planter. Too often I have seen producers try to grow no-till corn with a conventional planter. It simply will not work in most situations, especially the corn following corn scenario. Tremendous engineering strides have been made in the last ten years in terms of the planter and add-ons to make them extremely functional in a no-till environment. Although a major investment, it is one that must be considered if you're serious about no-till corn production.
The benefits of no-till corn production are not fully realized until you're four or five years into the system. Attitude, crop rotation, soil type, and corn planter functionality will drive success. It's not for everyone, but where all the components are in place it can provide significant economic and environmental advantages.
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