Economics of No-Till Crop Production

The purpose of tillage is the reduction of weeds and for seedbed preparation. Under no till, on-incorporated herbicides are the sole means of weed control. Special machines replace the need for tillage in seedbed preparation. No till reduces soil erosion, reduces fuel, labor and machinery requirements. . It reduces soil moisture loss. However, the costs of pesticides and seeding equipment along with greater potential for certain diseases and insect problems are the negatives of no till. the results of a 1979 survey of 19 farmers in North Dakota who practiced no till is discussed in detail in this article on the aforementioned along with the crop yields of wheat and barley under this practice. When proper management is utilized, spring seeded small grain yields under no till are similar to conventional tillage yields.