Alan Sundermeier, Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent
Ed Lentz, Extension Northwest District Agronomist
To evaluate corn response to strip tillage vs. no–till systems as well as fertilizer timing and placement.
| Cooperator: | Ron & Todd Hesterman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| County: | Henry | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nearest Town: | Napoleon | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The study was conducted on three fields within five miles of each other. Experimental design for each field was a randomized complete block using three replications of tillage x fertilizer program treatments. Each treatment plot was 12 rows (30–inch rows) by field length providing approximately 0.8 acres of area. The treatment combinations were as shown on the following page.
| Treatment | Tillage | Fall Fertilizer Actual N–P–K |
Planting Time Fertilizer Actual N–P–K |
Fertilizer Placement |
Sidedress Actual N |
Total N–P–K lbs./A |
| 1 | Strip | 13–63–45 | 85–0–0 | 5" deep in strip | 96 | 193–63–45 |
| 2 | Strip | 14–68–50 | 85–0–0 | 5" deep in strip | 96 | 195–68–50 |
| 3 | Strip | 199–68–50 | None | 5" deep in strip | None | 199–68–50 |
| 4 | Strip | None | 90–12–2 | 2" x 2" | 96 | 186–12–2 |
| 5 | No–till | None | 90–12–2 | 2" x 2" | 96 | 186–12–2 |
Treatments 1, 4, and 5 were applied to Field I. Treatments 2, 3, 4, and 5 were applied to Fields II and III. All strip tillage was conducted in the fall of 1999. Fall nitrogen in Treatment 3 consisted of anhyhrous ammonia combined with N–serve in addition to dry 14–68–50 fertilizer. Planting time fertilizer consisted of 28% N in treatments 1, 2, 4, and 5 combined with 5–12–2 liquid starter for treatments 4 and 5. Sidedress fertilizer consisted of 28%N.
On May 8 emergence stand counts were taken in Field I. In all three fields at the V2 or two–leaf stage of corn (appox. 7" height), one–foot deep soil samples were taken to monitor nitrate levels. Field I averaged 19.7 ppm nitrate. Replicates of the nitrate levels in Fields II and III were taken for statistical analysis. At corn silking stage, ear leaf samples were taken in all three fields. At corn maturity or black layer, corn stalk nitrate samples were taken. Also at this time, ear and stalk population counts were recorded.
In Field I and Field III, continuous recording thermometers were placed in the no–till areas and in fall strip–till zones. Soil temperature was recorded at the 2" seed zone, and average temperature was calculated for two time periods in Field I and one period in Field III.
Results
Average 2" soil temperatures (F°) recorded were:
| No–Till | Strip Till | |
| Field I–April 8 to 26 | 47.6 | 62.0 |
| Field III–April 8 to 26 | 54.1 | 55.4 |
| Field I–May 2 to 24 | 48.0 | 63.3 |
The following table shows the averages of three replications. Means followed by the same letter within a field are not significantly different at P = 0.05.
| Field I | Emerged Plants |
Soil NO3 |
Ear Leaf Tissue | Stalk NO3 |
Stalk Population |
Yield | ||
| Treatment | (plants/A) | (ppm) | %N | %P | %K | (ppm) | (ppm) | (bu/A) |
| 1 | 31,333 b | – | 3.42 | 0.27 | 1.96 | 1966 | 30,000 | 179.5 |
| 4 | 31,333 b | – | 3.25 | 0.25 | 1.92 | 2400 | 28,830 | 181.7 |
| 5 | 21,000 a | – | 3.49 | 0.26 | 1.88 | 966 | 30,500 | 177.0 |
| LSD (0.05) | 10,040 | – | NS | NS | NS | 1408 | NS | NS |
| Field II | ||||||||
| 2 | – | 20.0 b | 2.74 | 0.25 | 2.21 b | 233 | 28,670 | 165.7 c |
| 3 | – | 18.7 b | 2.85 | 0.25 | 2.23 b | 100 | 29,330 | 162.1 bc |
| 4 | – | 15.3 a | 2.86 | 0.26 | 2.07 a | 400 | 27,830 | 153.8 ab |
| 5 | – | 19.7 b | 2.88 | 0.25 | 2.05 a | 433 | 29,500 | 152.6 a |
| LSD (0.05) | – | 2.9 | NS | NS | 0.06 | NS | NS | 8.4 |
| Field III | ||||||||
| 2 | – | 33.7 b | 3.17 | 0.27 c | 2.35 | 2500 b | 28,333 | 148.0 b |
| 3 | – | 14.7 a | 2.83 | 0.23 a | 2.32 | 167 a | 28,333 | 145.9 a |
| 4 | – | 17.0 a | 2.99 | 0.25 b | 2.09 | 100 a | 28,500 | 139.8 ab |
| 5 | – | 19.0 ab | 2.90 | 0.24 ab | 2.08 | 200 a | 29,500 | 139.7 a |
| LSD (0.05) | – | 14.7 | NS | 0.02 | NS | 1036 | NS | 5.9 |
Within all three fields, strip tillage compared to no–till with identical fertilizer application had similar corn yields.
In Field I, strip tillage resulted in significantly quicker corn emergence 10 days after planting. Fertilizer timing and placement did not affect yield between the strip–tillage treatments.
In Field II, fall–applied dry P and K with a higher total pounds per acre of N–P–K yielded significantly better than liquid starter at planting. This did not happen in Field III, however.
In both clay loam fields, corn yields were not significantly different comparing fall–applied anhydrous ammonia nitrogen to spring–applied 28% nitrogen having the same total pounds per acre of actual N–P–K using strip tillage.
One may conclude for both clay loam fields, fall applied N–P–K in strip tillage resulted in yields equal to or better than the other cropping systems used in this study.
For additional information, contact:
Alan Sundermeier
Ohio State University Extension, Henry County
104 E. Washington St., Suite 107
Napoleon, OH 43545
419–592–0806
sundermeier.5@osu.edu