Jim McCutcheon

How do you measure the success of zero tillage? I will try to answer that question by measuring the success of zero till as compared to conventional tillage using three different yard sticks.

1. Does it reduce input costs?

2. Does it maintain yields?

3. Is it environmentally sustainable?

Before I get into measurement of success, I would like to give some background information about my farm and a brief description of the method used.

Background: My farm consists of 410 acres in crop (4 acres under cultivation and 406 under no cultivation). The soil types are Red River Clay, Osborne Clay, Sperling Loam and Riverdale Silty Clay. According to the Manitoba Soil Survey, a mechanical analysis of two of them show the following:

Red River Clay Sperling Loam

clay & silt	92%	44%
sand	4%	51%
organic matter	4%	5%

Method: There are four main procedures that need to be done right to make zero till crop production successful. They are:

1. Weed control

2. Germination

3. Fertilizer placement

4. Straw and chaff spreading

These procedures are of course similar to conventional tillage but the methods are slightly different.

1. Seed control is achieved by post-emergent herbicides and not with tillage or soil incorporated herbicides.

2. Tillage is not used to prepare a seedbed so germination depends upon an effective seeding machine. I have found, after extensive experimentation, that a hoe drill works best for me.

3. Fertilizer should be applied beneath the soil surface and no-t just broadcast. This is more important in zero till than it is in conventional till.

4. Straw and chaff should be spread by the combine as there is no tillage operations to spread or bury the residue. Good spreading takes the cussing out of seeding.

After 15 years of experience in the Red River Valley, how has zero till worked? how does it measure up?

Input costs:

1. Fuel costs are down.

2. Repair costs are down.

3. Labour costs are down.

4. Capital costs are down.

5. Seed control costs are up.

If the price of Roundup was similar to some of the generic products (and it can be), then weed control costs would be down too.

Yields: (on check field)

Wheat Bu/Acre 1977 36.2 48.5 l983 47.0 46.0 l985 85.3< /TD> 76.2 1987 48.3 53.0 Average 54.2 55.9 Flax Bu/Acre 1976 23.25 26.25 1982 32.5 26.0 1986 30.0 31.6 Average 28.6 28.0 Canola Bu/acre 1978 35.0 34.5 1984 30.0 27.5 1988 11.3 27.5 Average 25.4 29.8 Winter wheat bu/acre 1979 0 56 1981 51.6 32.5 Average 25.8 44.25

On b alance, the yields measure up very well and yields have improved with improvements in the seeding equipment.

Sustainability: Erosion control under zero till is highly successful.

It is better than tree rows.

It is better than strip farming.

It is better than contour farming.

It is better than any of them for one basic reason. Zero till maintains a vegetative cover on the soil surface.

In the Red River Valley we have had three years in the 80Ìs (81,85,88) when severe erosion took place on conventionally tilled land. On zero till, there was none. If the greenhouse effect occurs as predicted, the 80Ìs may be the norm and not the exception.

Zero till controls erosion period. It is sustainable agriculture. It is not only sustainable agriculture. but zero till enriches and enhances the soil by increasing organic matter, tilth, earthworm population, porosity and water holding capacity. It is a crop production system whose time has come. It is fit to be tried.