A panel discussion

Excerpt

JSWC: What herbicide management considerations are important for farmers who are converting from conventional tillage to conservation tillage?

Antognini: A farmer must consider what weed problems are possible on his farm and whether or not the particular conservation tillage system that he is planning to use will control these weeds. The farmer must be aware that conservation tillage requires less mechanical tillage than conventional tillage, but that does not necessarily mean no-till. In many conservation tillage systems, some tillage can be effective in controlling weeds, either prior to planting or during the growing season.

HAYES: Mechanical cultivation is less costly than use of herbicides. However, a combination of herbicides and mechanical cultivation results in the most effective weed control program. Because mechanical cultivation can encourage soil erosion, I would limit mechanical cultivation to slopes up to 18 percent and use herbicides alone on slopes steeper than 18 percent. Cultivating should be done on the contour on slopes steeper than 7 percent, and cultivating implements should be designed to leave a maximum amount of crop residues on the soil surface.

JACQUES: In converting to conservation tillage systems, including no-till, with emerged weeds in the field, the prime management consideration …