ae-1370 strip till for field crop production

www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu • 1

AE-1370

JULY 2008

North Dakota State UniversityFargo, North Dakota 58105

What is Strip Till?The trend among northern Plainsfarmers is toward using less tillage toproduce field crops with more residueleft on the soil surface. Strip till is afield tillage system that combines no tilland full tillage to produce row crops.Narrow strips, 6 to 12 inches wide,are tilled in crop stubble, with thearea between the rows left undisturbed.Often, fertilizer is injected into the tilledarea during the strip-tilling operation.The tilled strips correspond to planterrow widths of the next crop and seedsare planted directly into the tilled strips.Strip tilling normally is done in the fallafter harvest, but it also can be done inthe spring before planting.

Advantages of Strip Till• Conserves energy because only part

of the soil is tilled.

• Reduces soil erosion because mostof the soil remains covered withcrop residue throughout the year.

• Releases less carbon into theatmosphere and maintains higherlevels of soil organic matter.

• The tilled strips warm sooner in thespring to promote seed germinationand plant emergence.

• Conserves soil moisture because mostof the soil surface area is covered withcrop residue.

• Crop yields are similar or highercompared with other tillage systems.

• Reduces expenses by eliminatingsome primary and secondary tillage.

Strip Till and NRCSConservation IncentivesStrip tillage can be used to qualify forthe Natural Resources ConservationService (NRCS) conservation manage-ment/no-till incentive programs.To qualify for NRCS no-till incentiveprograms, a Soil Tillage Intensity Rating(STIR) value of 10 or less is required.STIR is a numerical value calculatedusing RUSLE2, a computer model thatpredicts long-term average annualerosion by water. This model is basedon crop management decisionsimplemented in a field. The NRCSassigns a numerical value to each tillageoperation. STIR values range from0 to 200, with lower scores indicatingreduced soil disturbance. Other benefitsof low STIR values include increasedorganic matter content of the soil andimproved water infiltration rates.

Table 1. STIR values for commontillage operations.

Operation STIR

No tillage 0.0Double-disk opener planter 2.4Tandem disk, light finishing 19.5Field cultivator, 6- to 12-inch sweeps 23.4Tandem disk 39.0Chisel, shovel sweeps 45.5Moldboard plow 52.0

Carbon SequestrationEffectsSoil organic matter plays a critical rolein the global carbon cycle. Soil can act asboth a major source for carbon releasedinto the atmosphere and a sink to store

Strip Till forField Crop ProductionEquipment • Production • Economics

John NowatzkiAgricultural Machine SystemsSpecialist, NDSU Extension Service

Greg EndresArea Extension Specialist/CroppingSystems, NDSU Extension Service

Jodi DeJong-HughesRegional Extension Educator,University of Minnesota

Dwight AakreFarm Management Specialist,NDSU Extension Service

Strip-tilled field

Strip tilling normallyis done in the fall

after harvest,but it also can bedone in the spring

before planting.

2 • AE-1370 Strip Till for Field Crop Production

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MoldboardPlow

Disk Ripped Strip Till

Tillage

24 Hour CO2 Loss

carbon. When carbon is stored in thesoil, it is not released to the atmosphereas greenhouse gases, particularly carbondioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4).Tillage increases microbial actionon organic matter stored in the soiland normally increases the rate ofdecomposition that changes organiccarbon into CO2.

Soil organic matter is directly related tosoil fertility and positively correlatedwith agricultural productivity potential.Besides reducing greenhouse gases,other advantages of increasing ormaintaining a high level of soil organicmatter include reduced soil erosion,increased resistance to compaction,increased biological activity andenhanced soil fertility.

Since tillage results in soil carbon loss,identifying tillage methods that reducethe amount of carbon released into theatmosphere is important. A comparisonstudy of soil CO2 emissions followingmoldboard plowing, disk rippingand strip tilling conducted in 2005in Minnesota (Faaborg et al., 2005)determined that strip tillage maintainedmore soil carbon than moldboardplowing and disk ripping. Disk rippingand strip tillage released 53.2 percentand 82.6 percent less CO2 than mold-board plowing (Figure 1). Moldboardplowing disturbed and exposed thegreatest amount of soil, allowing carbonpreviously stored as organic matter orpresent as CO2 in the soil atmosphereto escape into the atmosphere.

Managing Crop ResidueResidue from previous crops limitsevaporation from the soil surface andmaintains relatively high humiditylevels in undisturbed soils at 90 percentto 100 percent, which are ideal for seedgermination. Even with excellent seed-to-soil contact, approximately 85 percentof the water entering a germinatingwheat seed is in the form of watervapor. In dry conditions, reduced-tillageplanting systems preserve moisturein the seedbed, enhancing uniformgermination and plant establishment.Crop residue is also a food source forbeneficial fungi, bacteria and insects.

Managed properly, the beneficialaspects of maintaining high levels ofcrop residue with conservation tillagesystems outweigh the negative aspects.Strip till leaves most of the previousyear’s crop residue on the soil surface,protecting new crop plants from winddamage during establishment andcontinuing to protect the soil if thecrop fails to establish due to droughtor flood. Crop residue readily decaysand is incorporated into soil byearthworms and other invertebrateswhen the growing crop canopycovers the space between the rows.

EquipmentEquipment componentsand functionsSeveral strip tillage equipmentmanufacturers offer a variety ofdesigns and features. Most equipmentmanufacturers market machines withsimilar features, including coulterblades, row cleaners, tillage shanks,berm-building disks and packingwheels or conditioning baskets.Some strip-till equipment designsinclude paired coulters or a large diskwithout a tillage shank. Most strip-tillequipment manufacturers in thenorthern Great Plains produce striptillers with 30-inch or 22-inch rowspacing. A list of Internet addresses ofstrip-till equipment manufacturers isincluded at the end of this publication.

Coulter blades cut through the soiland residue ahead of the tillage shank.

The coulters require mounting thatallows flexible movement over stones.Some manufacturers use flutedcoulters and designs with depthcontrol features with the coulters.Coulter size influences operationin residue; larger-diameter coultersfunction better in heavy residue.

Parallel linkages on each row unit aredesirable on strip tillers operated on soilwith large stones or rolling topographybecause this linkage system allows rowassemblies to move over stones oruneven surfaces without interruptingaccurate fertilizer placement on adjacentrow assemblies.

Row cleaners function to clearresidue away from the front of thetillage shank and berm-buildingdisks leaving a clean, tilled strip.Various manufacturers use uniqueproprietary designs to clear the tilledarea. Row cleaners usually are mountedbehind the cutting coulter and a fewinches ahead of the tillage shank.

Strip-till equipment needs to bedesigned to meter accurately andcorrectly place appropriate amounts offertilizers in the tilled strips. The abilityto apply one or more liquid, gaseous ordry fertilizers is an important designfeature of strip-till equipment.

The tillage shank penetrates andloosens soil and normally is designedwith a fertilizer injection tube to allowapplication of gaseous, liquid or drygranular fertilizers during the striptillage operation. Tillage depth isdependent on the soil type andconditions and the specific crop tobe planted. Berm-building disksare mounted on each side and 6 to8 inches behind the tillage shank.The disks can be mounted to moundthe strip to promote moisture runoffand facilitate soil drying in the springor, alternatively, mounted to create aslight depression in the soil to catchsnow and rain to increase soil moisturefor the next crop.

Conditioning baskets are mountedbehind each shank to break soilclods and smooth the soil surface.Some manufacturers use rubber packing

Figure 1. Carbon losses from tillageoperations at Jeffers, Minn.


wheels instead of conditioning baskets.Large clumps likely indicate that the soilis too wet for tillage or adjustments areneeded on equipment. Some system ofsmoothing the soil and breaking clumpsis important, particularly if the striptilling is done immediately prior toplanting. Smoothing the tilled stripsis less important if strip tilling is donein the fall because winter weatherconditions smooth the soil naturally.

All components of strip-till machinesusually are mounted on three-pointtool bar attachments directly to tractorsor assembled as pull-type units withwheels. Pull-type designs are morecommon because they can be usedwith wider units.

Power and energy requirementsThe power requirement of strip-tillequipment varies depending on theequipment design, number of row units,components used, soil properties, shankdepth, field conditions and operatoradjustments. The power requirementlisted in the equipment specificationsby several strip-till equipmentmanufacturers ranges from 12 to30 horsepower per row unit. However,since only about one-third of the fieldsurface is tilled with strip-till equip-ment, the energy requirement is lessthan with conventional tillage systems.

Strip till and GPS guidanceAccurate equipment guidance isimportant for strip tillage and thesubsequent planting and sprayingoperations, particularly in irregularlyshaped fields. Strip tillage machines canbe equipped with markers to facilitateaccurate spacing of rows on each new

round in the field or global positioningsystem (GPS) guidance can be usedwithout markers. GPS positioningaccuracy of greater than 6 inchespass-to-pass is recommended.Real-time kinematic differentialcorrection (RTK) GPS is recommendedfor positioning accuracy for strip tilling.

Crop Productionwith Strip TillEffects on soil temperatureStrip-till systems remove residuefrom the soil surface over the seedbed,resulting in soil temperatures similarto conventional tillage systems. No-tillsystems leave residue on the soil surfaceover the seedbed and soil temperaturesare often several degrees lower thanin tilled soil. Research by the Universityof Minnesota Extension in southernMinnesota (DeJong-Hughes, Stahl)shows an aggressive strip-tillmachine can clear away sufficientresidue to promote soil warmingsimilar to moldboard plowing in acontinuous corn rotation (Table 2). In acorn-soybean rotation, soil temperatureswere similar for strip till and chiselplow and lower for no till (Table 3).

Similarly, research in the Red RiverValley (Prosper, N.D., and Moorhead,Minn.) in 2007 indicated comparabletemperatures between conventionaltillage and strip till (Overstreetet al., 2007).

The soil temperature advantage withstrip till compared with no till allowsfaster plant emergence and develop-ment. This advantage is enhancedwhen soil temperatures are lower and

approach the lower threshold for cropseed germination. For example, earlyplanted strip-till corn or soybeans likelywill emerge quicker than in a no-tillsystem. Earlier plant establishmentnormally increases crop yield andquality by extending the growth.

Earlier emergence and standestablishment also promotes quickercrop canopy closure, reducing mid- andlate-season weed seed germination andproviding a better chance for youngplants to establish and withstanddisease and insect pressure withminimal damage.

Effects on soil moistureStrip tillage conserves soil moisture bytrapping winter snow and reducingevaporation and transpiration loss(Figures 2), resulting in more soil

Coulter bladeand row cleaners

Tillage shank withberm-building disks

Conditioning basket

Table 2. Soil temperatures usingseveral different tillage operationsin continuous corn, Jeffers, Minn.

Soil Temperaturesat Planting

Tillage 2006 2007

Moldboard plow 65.3 55.7Disk ripped 62.3 54.7Strip till 65.4 54.2

Table 3. Soil temperatures at plantingusing different tillage operations insoybean/corn rotation, Jeffers, Minn.

Soil Temperaturesat Planting, °F

Tillage 2006 2007

Chisel plow 57.7 69.1No till 55.8 64.9Strip till 58.9 71.5


moisture available for plants,particularly later in the growing seasonduring the critical plant reproductivestages. Figure 2 illustrates additionalsoil moisture present with strip tillcompared with conventional till(Overstreet et al., 2007).

When to strip till?In the northern Great Plains, striptillage with fertilizer applicationusually is performed in the fall,followed by spring planting.Fall tillage allows time for the soil inthe berm to smooth during the winterand warm as soon as the weather allowsin the spring before crop planting.

Strip-tillage operations can beperformed in the spring in regionswith coarse-textured and lower organicmatter content soils. Research conductedin 2007 on loam soil at Carrington, N.D.,indicates similar crop yield between falland spring strip tillage.

Strip Till Practicesfor Crop ProductionResearch indicates strip tillage workswell with crops grown with 30-inchrow spacing; however, narrower rowspacings also work, but residue man-agement is more difficult with less spacefor residue. Mounting strip-till units onstaggered bars allows residue to flowbetween strip-till units in narrowerrow spacing. Strip tillage is used withrow crops, such as corn, sugar beet,soybeans, dry beans and sunflowers.

CornThe University of Minnesota Extension(J. DeJong-Hughes, J. Vetsch) comparedfour tillage systems for corn followingsoybeans on farm fields in 2004 and2005 using producer-owned commercialtillage equipment. Corn grain yieldswere affected significantly by tillagetreatments at six of the 10 sites in thecool growing season of 2004. Averagedacross sites with the four similar tillagetreatments, corn grain yields for eachtillage system were: 1) no till withdisk openers, 167.8 bushels per acre(bu/acre); 2) no till with hoe openers,174.2 bu/acre; 3) strip till, 174.6 bu/acre;and 4) chisel plow plus hoe openers,177.4 bu/acre (Figure 4). The strip-tilledfields had an average of 55 percentresidue cover and the one-passsystem had 30 percent residue cover.

In the warmer-than-normal 2005growing season, corn yields wereaffected significantly by tillagetreatments at only one of nine sites.Yields were: 1) no till with diskopeners, 195.8 bu/acre; 2) strip till,202.2 bu/acre; 3) no till with howopeners, 196.5 bu/acre; and 4) chiselplow plus hoe openers, 200.5 bu/acre.The trials in 2005 demonstrated thatno-till and strip till produced excellentcorn yields while maintaining adequateresidue cover to protect the soilfrom erosion.

Continuous corn systems producehigher residue levels requiring moreprecise management. The University ofMinnesota began research in southernMinnesota in 2006 to study the effectsof high-residue systems during severalyears. This research uses moldboardplowing, disk ripping and strip till ona continuous corn field to study theeffects of residue placement on seedlingemergence, soil temperature and grainyield. The soil at the site is a heavy clayloam, with poor internal drainage, andno tile drainage.

Residue levels varied with theaggressiveness of the tillage operation.Moldboard plowing left 10 percentresidue cover, disk ripping left34 percent, and strip tilling left almost50 percent residue on the soil surface.

Figure 2. Volumetric soil moisturestrip tilled and chisel plowed forsugarbeet, soybean, wheat and corn

Strips in springStrips in fall

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In 2006, the yields were similar forall three tillage systems (Table 4). In thefall of 2007, six more field trials wereestablished using the same proceduresdescribed above. Researchers willcontinue to evaluate the residuebuildup and its effects on yield.

NDSU research conducted in 2007indicated similar corn yield with striptill compared with conventional till andan advantage with strip till yieldcompared with no till (Endres, Franzenand Overstreet) (Table 5). At Carrington,corn was grown in 30-inch rows on aloam soil with adequate soil moistureavailable during the reproductivestages. Plant emergence and silkingwere delayed one to three days withno till, compared with strip till. Cornwas grown in 22-inch rows at the RedRiver Valley sites. At Fargo, the trialwas conducted on a silty clay loam soil.

Rainfall from planting until mid-Junewas nearly continuous, resultingin reduced soil nitrogen (N) andcorn yield.

Dry edible beansDry edible bean production using striptill significantly reduces soil erosionpotential compared with conventionaltillage. Moisture conservation isan additional benefit in arid areas.The obvious disadvantage withstrip-till beans is changing harveststrategies. Strip-till edible beansrequire direct harvest, which potentiallyincreases harvest loss. However,reduced harvesting equipment, time

and labor, and potentially improvedseed quality may offset increasedharvest losses. Preliminary data in 2007by NDSU researchers at Carringtonwith fall strip-till pinto beans indicatepotential for seed yield increase com-pared with conventionally tilled bean.

SoybeansProduction advantages may be gainedwith strip till use for soybeans in aridareas because of moisture conservationor if the crop is planted early becauseof warmer soils compared with no till.NDSU research during 2005-07indicated similar soybean yield withstrip till compared with conventionaltill or no till (Endres, Franzen andOverstreet, 2007) (Table 6).

The University of Minnesota Extensionconducted research in southernMinnesota comparing three tillagesystems for soybeans following corn onresidue levels, soil temperatures andsoybean yields in strip till, chisel plowand no till (J. DeJong-Hughes, L. Stahl).In 2006, the no-till fields yielded slightlyless than chisel-plowed and strip-tilled

Table 4. Corn yields from varioustillage systems in southernMinnesota.

Tillage 2006

Corn Yields – bu/acre

Moldboard plow 149.9Disk ripped 139.9Strip till 148.4

Table 5. Corn yield with various tillage systems, 2007.

Prosper and 2-site average 4-siteTillage1 Carrington Fargo Moorhead, Minn. (Carrington and Fargo) average

———————————— Corn Yields – bu/acre ————————————

Conventional 155.8 80.6 160.3 118.2 132.2No-till 140.1 73.4 – 106.8 –Strip till (fall) 160.8 84.6 155.1 122.3 133.5Strip till (spring) 166.9 – – – –LSD (0.05) NS2 9.2 NS2 – –

1 Previous crop: Carrington = spring wheat; Fargo = sugar beets;Prosper and Moorhead = soybeans.

2 Not a significant yield difference.

Table 6. Soybean yields with various tillage systems, North Dakota, 2005-07.

Carrington Fargo Prosper

Tillage system1 2005 2006 2005 2006 2007

————————— Seed yield – bu/acre —————————

Conventional 21.7 16.2 25.9 25.0 53.6No till 22.6 18.1 29.7 20.9 –Strip till (fall) 23.4 18.4 – 23.9 57.9Strip till (spring) – 18.4 25.3 – –LSD (0.05) No significant yield differences

1 Previous crop: Carrington = spring wheat; Fargo = 2005, corn and 2006, sugar beets;Prosper = sugar beets.

2 Not a significant yield difference.

Figure 3. Corn yields with various tillage systems.

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trials. In 2007, the yields were similar,reflecting the versatility of soybeansin a variety of management systems(Table 7).

Sugar beetsNDSU research with sugar beets grownin 22-inch rows was conducted during2005-07 at several Red River Valleylocations (Franzen and Overstreet,2007). Sugar beet yields were similaramong tillage systems in two of thethree years (Table 8). Strip-till yieldswere approximately the same asconventionally tilled plots.

SunflowersSunflower production using strip tillis limited in the northern regions ofthe United States. Research trials andcommercial production using strip till inKansas indicates promise for sunflower(Olson et al., 2005). Two years ofresearch during 2006-07 by NDSUat Carrington (Endres et al.)have indicated similar sunflowerperformance for seed yield and qualityamong tillage systems, including striptill. Yield was not significantly differentbetween fall or spring strip tilling.

General FertilizerConsiderationsPhosphorus and potassium can beband-applied during the strip-tilloperation. Banding phosphorus andpotassium allows for a rate reductionof one-third compared with broadcastapplication on a medium or low-testingsoil (University of Minnesota FertilizerRecommendations, 2001). Phosphorusand potassium also can be appliedto crops as starter fertilizer withthe planter.

Nitrogen also can be applied usingstrip-till equipment. However,fall nitrogen application is notrecommended in sandier, lighter soilsor in the eastern half of Minnesota.Nitrogen can be applied as a starterfertilizer and side dressed later in thegrowing season.

Economics of Strip TillComparing the economics of strip-tillproduction to conventional productioninvolves changes in production coststhat can be evaluated using a partialbudget. What is different and thereforeneeds to be included in the partialbudget? Strip till should eliminatethe need for whole-field primary andsecondary tillage, but may requirea chemical burn-down operationthat would not be necessary underconventional tillage. Also, addingGPS guidance equipment may bebeneficial. Costs that do not changemay be ignored. These include theplanting and harvesting operationsand any postharvest operations.

Converting to strip-till productioninvolves investment in differentequipment that results in changesto both fixed and variable costs.Fixed costs are based on initialinvestment and the expected

Table 7. Soybean yields for tillage systems, Jeffers, Minn.

Tillage 2006 2007

Soybean Yield – bu/acreChisel plow 50.3 47.2No till 47.8 46.8Strip till 51.9 48.4

Previous crop corn.

Table 8. Sugar beet yields with various tillage systems.

Prosper and 3-site———— Fargo ———— Moorhead, Minn. average 5-site

Tillage system1 2005 2006 2007 2007 (Fargo) average

—————————— Sugar Beet Yield – tons/acre ——————————Conventional 12.9 24.0 22.1 30.0 19.7 22.3No till 16.6 23.4 22.1 – 20.7 –Strip till 15.0 23.9 22.7 29.6 20.5 22.8LSD (0.05) 3.2 NS2 NS2 NS2 – –

1 Previous crop: Fargo = soybeans; Prosper and Moorhead = wheat.2 Not a significant yield difference.

Table 9. Oilseed sunflower yield with various tillage systemsat Carrington, 2006-07.

Tillage system1 2006 2007 2-year average

————— Seed yield – lb/acre —————Conventional 1,160 1,040 1,100No till 1,338 956 1,147Strip till (fall) 1,134 1,086 1,110Strip till (spring) 1,379 942 1,161LSD (0.05) NS2 NS2 –

1 Previous crop = spring wheat.2 Not a significant yield difference.

equipment salvage value. Principalfixed costs include depreciation andinterest on money invested. Other fixedcosts include insurance and housing.

Variable or operating costs includefuel and lubrication, repairs and labor.These costs may be different from theset of variable costs associated withconventional-tillage production systems.

Initial equipment investmentInvestment costs vary considerably,depending on the type of equipmentpurchased. The lowest cost for strip-tillequipment is a tool bar for a six- oreight-row application available forapproximately $1,000 per row.Pull-type machines cost from $2,500to $3,000 per row.

Ownership costs are heavily influencedby the amount of use per year and thenumber of years the equipment can beused. Estimates of useful life and annual


use in acres for a 24-row pull-type tillerand a six-row tool bar tiller are shown inTable 10. Table 11 shows the ownershipcosts in detail. The annual ownershipcost of the 24-row tiller is estimated tobe $5,354, or $5.35 per acre, based onan estimated annual use on 1,000 acresper year. The lower-investment six-rowtiller would have estimated annualownership cost of $571, or $1.43 peracre, based on annual usage of 400 acres.

Operating costs of 24-row and six-rowequipment are shown in Table 12.Operating costs include fuel,lubrication, repairs and labor.Total operating cost is $3 per acrefor the 24-row equipment and $4.24per acre for the six-row equipment.

Total costs are summarized in Table 13.The total cost per acre for the 24-rowequipment, including the power unit,is estimated to be $10.42 per acre.Total cost for the six-row equipmentand power unit is estimated at $7.98 peracre. The smaller equipment has higheroperating costs but considerably lowerfixed costs.

Converting to a strip-till method ofproduction from conventional tillagewill eliminate expenses associated withprimary and secondary tillage. Table 14summarizes total and use-related costfor chisel plowing, field cultivationand ground spraying. The differencebetween total cost and use-related costis interest on the investment and partof the depreciation. If the chisel plowand field cultivator are not sold,the appropriate reduction in costto apply is the use-related cost of$5.18 per acre for chisel plowing and$2.97 per acre for field cultivating.

A partial budget summary is shownin Table 15. Additional costs to striptillage include machinery ownershipand operation costs, chemicalburn-down and a ground-sprayingoperation. Reduced costs includeeliminating chisel plowing and fieldcultivation. Estimated change inper-acre costs would be an increaseof $12.03 per acre for the 24-rowequipment and an increase of $9.59per acre for the six-row equipment.

Table 10. Estimated cost and use factors for strip-till equipment.

Strip Tiller Strip-till Tool BarMachine 24-row – 22" 6-row – 30"

Estimated life – years 15 15Annual use – acres 1,000 400Purchase price $65,000 $6,000Salvage value $20,000 $0Interest rate (ROI) 5.0% 5.0%Storage space – sq. ft. 0.0 0.0Tractor HP 425.0 160.0

Table 11. Ownership (fixed) costs of alternative strip-till equipment.

24 row – 22" 6 row – 30"

Ownership (fixed) costs Annual Cost Cost/Acre Annual Cost Cost/Acre

Depreciation $3,000.00 $3.00 $400.00 $1.00Interest on investment $2,200.00 $2.20 $160.00 $0.40Insurance $154.00 $0.15 $11.20 $0.03Total ownership costs $5,354.00 $5.35 $571.20 $1.43

Table 12. Operating (variable) costs of alternative strip-till equipment.

24 row – 22" 6 row – 30"

Operating (variable) cost Tiller Tractor $/acre Tiller Tractor $/acre

Fuel – gallons per hour 16.27 $48.81 $1.69 6.12 $18.37 $1.87Price/gallon $3.00 xxx $3.00 xxxOil, lube and filters $0.17 $0.19Repairs – parts, labor $0.60 $0.12 $0.72 $0.60 $0.36 $0.96Operating labor – hours 0.03 xxx 0.10 xxxLabor wage/hour $12.00 $0.42 $12.00 $1.22Total operating costs $3.00 $4.24

Table 13. Total cost per acre for alternative strip-till equipment.

Factors 24 row -22" 6 row - 30"

Tractor ownership cost ($/hr) $59.37 $22.73Machine width, ft 44 15Travel speed – mph 6 6Acres per hour 28.8 9.82Tractor repair cost ($/hr) $3.57 $3.53Total machine cost ($/ac) $8.36 $5.67Tractor ownership costs ($ac) $2.06 $2.32Total cost ($/ac) $10.42 $7.98

Table 14. Cost of conventional tillage operations ($/ac).

Field Operation Total Cost Use-related Cost

Chisel plow $7.10 $5.18Field cultivator $3.97 $2.97Ground sprayer $5.39 $3.76

Table 15. Strip till vs. conventional till: a partial budget.

Additional costs High Investment Low Investment

Machinery ($/ac) $10.42 $7.98Chemical Application ($/ac) $3.76 $3.76Chemical ($/ac) $6.00 $6.00Reduced costsChisel plow 1x ($/ac) $-5.18 $-5.18Field cultivator 1x ($/ac) $-2.97 $-2.97Change in costs ($/ac) $12.03 $9.59

8 • AE-1370 Strip Till for Field Crop Production 2M-7-08

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Management Tipsfor Strip Tillage• Match the strip-till row width with

the planter row width.

• Leave corn stubble standing formaximum air movement and lessmatting of residue. Build stripsbetween the previous crop rows.

• For the greatest soil warmup andseed-to-soil contact, strip tillageshould be performed in the fall.

• In cooler, fine-textured soils, strip-tillequipment should clear the berm toless than 10 percent residue for fastersoil warming in the spring.

• In high-moisture conditions, buildberms approximately 3 inches highin the fall so they are at least 1 inchhigh by planting. In arid conditions,berms can be depressed to collectwinter snow.

• The economic advantages of strip tillare improved if banding phosphorusand postassium fertilizer with the fallstrip operation.

• Avoid slopes of more than 7 percentwithout contouring; otherwise, risk ofsoil erosion can occur in tilled strips.

References1. Faaborg, R., C. Wente, J.M.

De Jong-Hughes and D.C. Reicosky.2005. A comparison of soil CO2

emissions following moldboardplowing, disk ripping and striptilling. USDA-ARS research update.

2. Overstreet, L.F., D. Franzen,N.R. Cattanach and S. Gegner. 2007.Strip-tillage in sugarbeet rotations.In 2007 Sugarbeet Research andExtension Reports. Vol. 38. SugarbeetRes. And Ed. BD. of MN and ND.

3. Olson, B., J. Falk and R. Aiken.2007. Sunflower yield as affectedby strip-till. National SunflowerAssociation 2007 Research Forum.

4. University of Minnesota Extension“Machinery Cost Estimates.”September 2007.

5. Endres, G., B. Schatz. 2007 CarringtonResearch Extension Center AnnualReport.

6. DeJong-Hughes, J., J. Vetsch. (2007)On-Farm Comparison of ConservationTillage Systems for Corn FollowingSoybeans. University of MinnesotaExtension Publication #BU-08483.

Web Sites of Strip-till EquipmentManufacturersThis is not intended to be a complete listof ST Manufactures.

www.agsystemsonline.com(Ag Systems) – NitroTill

www.thurstonmfgco.com(Blu-Jet)

www.dawnequipment.com/(Dawn Equipment)

www.hiniker.com/ag_products%20new/6000_striptill.html

(Hiniker Equipment)

www.orthman.com/html603/1-tRIPr.htm(Orthman Manufacturing)

www.schlagel.net/Till-N-Plant.htm(Schlagel Manufacturing)

www.twindiamondind.com/(Twin Diamond Industries)

www.unverferth.com

www.brillionfarmeq.com

www.progressivefarm.com/strip_till_toolbars.php

(Progessive)

www.deere.com/servlet/com.deere.u90785.productcatalog.view.servlets.ProdCatProduct?tM=FR&pNbr=2510SN

(John Deere)

www.yetterco.com/prod_striptill.php(Yetter)

www.redballproducts.com(Redball)

www.Wil-rich.com(Wil-rich has bought out Redball ST)

http://caseih.com/products/series.aspx?&RL=ENNA&seriesid=2667&lineid=16&featuresid=7394

(Case IH)

www.remlingermfg.com/Strip_Till.htm(Remlinger)

www.soilwarrior.com(Soil Warrior)

Strip-till demonstration videos andInternet links to strip-till equipmentmanufacturers are available at thisWeb site:www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/abeng/conservation_tillage/striptill.htm

ae-1370 strip till for field crop production

Documents