Tillage Practices-Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Past tillage practices in the Corn belt were primarily based on the moldboard plow. The chisel plow, disk, and other forms of reduced tillage are now used extensively. The trend toward less tillage has occurred from the desire to reduce costs and to utilize plant residue to control erosion. The trend is hampered by the goal to maintain consistent high yield levels. Yields often decrease due to soil compaction, inadequate weed control, insufficient nutrient incorporation, and other factors. New tillage practices will be tried by farmers but before being widely adopted will be critically evaluated economically and for effects on erosion.