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Considerations In No-Till Small Grain Production, David C. Ditsch, John H. Grove, Lloyd W. Murdock, James H. Herbek

Soil Science News and Views

Small grains have become an important component of many crop rotations in Kentucky. Seedbed preparation has typically involved various degrees of tillage in which much of the residue from the previous crop is buried. Under such conditions, a field may be vulnerable to severe soil loss during periods of heavy rainfall until the plants have produced enough vegetative growth to cover the soil surface. Eliminating tillage in small grain production would not only reduce soil loss but also reduce labor cost and increase the timeliness of planting. Interest in no-till small grain production is growing. One survey reports that in …