Strip-Till System vs. No-Till Approach is One of Our Focuses for 2010

What’s on Tap for the Orthman Research Farm this 2010 Season!
 

As we get into the swing of strip-tilling for the season we are progressing to test several plots with No-Till into heavy 225bpa corn residue and the same with Strip-Till. We are going to test a new treatment for nematode in the No-Till vs. Strip-Till approach also. Then we have No-Till soybeans compared against strip-till with same amounts of fertility. We are looking with a seed corn company and rooting types three times during the growing season to see how these root systems improve in the Strip-Till environment.
New this year is another small seed corn company to look at known weak rooting types versus strong rooting types in the Strip-Till environment and then the same in No-Till. Growers are asking many questions whether or not if they have a plant with not as robust root system, can and will it improve in strip-till and better placed fertility. We have some studies looking at slow release N fertilizer products compared to standard liquid fertilizer without slow N release products. We have 'In Furrow' for the starter again this year and one of our Seed Corn partners wanted to see a different spreading out of the nutrition to see what it did for growth and yield.  It is a true focus for 2010 to observe what happens with No-Till and Strip-Till for growth, cool soils, root development, stalk health, stand, leaf size and of course yield. Please keep watching this webpage for results as the season progresses and then please one and all come to our Field Day on July 29th.