Manning Monitor Article August 8, 2002
Tillage Demonstration Field Days
Tillage represents one of the important decisions that producers make during a crop production
cycle. Reduction of the number of tillage passes can reduce compaction.
Increase water availability, and increase profitability. Often tillage studies
are conducted at only one site so that producers have little information on how
different methods work across a range of soils and climates. A unique study is
taking place in Iowa as a cooperative effort between the National Soil Tilth
Laboratory in Ames. Local producers, FFA chapters, and the Department of
Agriculture and Land Stewardship. Four different tillage practices are being
compared in both corn and soybean crops for their effect on emergence,
growth, yield, and profitability. These practices are fall-chisel,
fall-strip, spring tillage, and spring-strip tillage. This study started in the
spring of 2002 on seven producer fields around Iowa. These sites are in
Columbus Junction, Bedford, Rippey, Manning, Kelly,
Albert City, and Algona. These demonstration sites are coupled with an
intensive research site at Ames that is being used to understand some of the
interactions between soil management and crop response.
A Field Day is being planned for Manning on August 19, 2002 from 5-7 p.m. The
Field Day will include presentations on the purpose of the study, findings so
far, - plans for 2003, and producer feedback on different tillage systems and
their effect on the soil. Presentations will be made by NSTL staff, Barry
Kusel (local producer), and FFA cooperators. Refreshments will be served.
August 19, 2002 Barry Kusel of AR Kusel, Ltd farms explains the process from planting through summer growth. FFA & Ag instructor Larissa Rupnow in red shirt.
Kusel equipment and labor was used for this FFA plot.
Jerry Hatfield
15 feet wide Kusel equipment used for the test plot
