ProCrop 1999

TILLAGE SHOULD PROTECT AGAINST EROSION

It is possible today to achieve the objectives of tillage and provide protection to the land. Estimates suggest that a minimum of 30 percent surface cover on level land should be available to prevent wind erosion. This guideline may vary based on soil type. Spring wheat produces about 100 pounds of crop residue per bushel of yield. A spring wheat crop yielding 30 bushels per acre, then, will produce 3,000 pounds of residue per acre.

This amount of residue would provide about 85 percent ground cover, more than enough to provide erosion protection. Barley, flax, buckwheat, millet, mustard and canola produce 80 pounds of residue per bushel harvested. The minimum requirement of 30 percent cover would be met by about 600 pounds of small grain residue per acre. However, it takes over 1,000 pounds of corn residue or 3,000 pounds of sunflower residue to provide a minimum of 30 percent ground cover. Sunflower produces only 1.5 pounds residue per pound of seed harvested.

Tillage implements vary considerable in how much residue they bury. A moldboard plow will leave only 5 to 10 percent of the crop residue, while chemical fallow will leave 100 percent. An undercutter with 24-inch or wider sweeps will leave 90 percent of the residue, a chisel plow with 14-inch sweeps will leave 85 percent, and a tandem disk with 23-to 28-inch blades will leave 50 percent of the residue.

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