Emergency tillage to control wind erosion: Influences on winter wheat yields

ABSTRACT:

About 2.4 million hectares (6 million acres) are tilled on an emergency basis each year to control wind erosion in the Great Plains. Much of the tillage is done on fall-seeded winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Emergency chiseling of growing winter wheat in Finney County, Kansas, during early March (1977-1981) did not significantly influence grain yields on a silty clay site, regardless of whether a 76- or 152-centimeter (30- or 60-inch) chisel spacing was used, whether 50 or 100 percent of the area was tilled, or whether tillage was parallel or perpendicular to row direction. Similar results were obtained in 3 of 4 years on a sandy loam site. Narrow-point chisels have potential for reducing wind erosion if soil conditions are conducive to producing nonerodible aggregates. Wheat straw/grain ratios, stalk diameters, and volume weights are important factors in determining what wind erosion protection the vegetation is able to provide.