Conservation tillage in small grain production

Excerpt

CONSERVATION tillage, minimum tillage, reduced tillage, zero-tillage, till-plant, slot-plant, chemical-fallow, ecofallow, ecofarming, stubble plant, mulch tillage and stubble mulch farming are all terms describing what has become a revolution in farm cropping practices. This revolution began in corn and soybean production and pasture renovation, but it is today very much a part of the production practices used by wheat and barley farmers also.

Making conservation tillage both practical and profitable for small grain farmers was the development of air-seeder grain drills in the mid-1970s. These large, chiseltype planters, which range up to 80 feet wide, overcame many of the seed placement and other problems encountered previously by small grain farmers.

Among the air drills in use today are the Prasco Super Seeder, John Deere Air Seeder, 665 Central-Metered Seeder, Concord Drill, Wil-Rich Air Seeder, Great Plains Air Seeder, Sunflower Air Drill, Flex-King Air Seeder, and Friggstad Air Seeder. Although not a true air seeder, the Pioneer Drill also deserves consideration with the air drills because it allows the farmer to accomplish all of the same things that the classic air drills do to make conservation tillage practical and profitable.

The bottom line

The bottom line …