No-Till Crop Production in the Red River Valley

The focus of the paper is a study to compare crop production under conventional and no-till systems at Fargo, North Dakota. research was conducted to determine crop yields under no-til (seeding directly into standing stubble) or conventional-till (fall plowing, spring field cultivating and harrowing) systems from 1976 through 1981 on a silty, clay soil with pH 7.6 and 6.4 percent organic matter at Fargo, North Dakota. The yield of seven crops under conventional and no-till systmes has not been statistically different when averaged over the course of years. Wheat yields under both conventional and no-till production systems were influenced by the previous crop. Herbicides are used as a supplement to tillage for weed control under conventional systems. However, herbicides become a major means of weed control under no-till systems in order to produce the highest crop yields. The articles addresses fall, initial spring and post emergence weed control.With proper management, no-till systems have similar crops yields to those of convention till methods.