Best management practices for sustaining yield and soil quality

Abstract

<p>Management and tillage decision is one of several decisions farmers have to make every fall. However, there are many other factors that need to be considered when selecting a tillage system for any given field, or region within the state. Those factors are soil conditions, which include soil slope, soil drainage, topsoil depth or the A-horizon depth. Other equally important factors that need to be considered are hybrid selection, crop rotation, and management factors, such as residue cover, type of residue (corn or soybean), soil moisture condition at the time of making the decision, timing of tillage operation, fertilizer management in conjunction with tillage operation, type of residue management equipment, planting and harvesting equipment, compliance with conservation plans, and above all, the economic return and benefits for selecting the tillage system.</p>