BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

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BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

• EFFECTS OF TILLAGE SYSTEMS ON WATER QUALITY

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Conventional TillageMoldboard Plow
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Chisel Plow
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Ridge Tillage
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No-Till
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Conservation Tillage

• To be considered in conservation tillage by the
  NRCS (Natural Resource Conservation Service) a
  field must have at least 30 of the soil surface
  covered with crop residue after planting.

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Runoff vs Tillage
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Erosion vs Tillage
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Conservation Tillagegt30 Residue Cover

• Potential Advantages
• Reduced runoff/erosion
• Less tillage/ energy used
• Shift to herbicides less concern
• Increased surface OM
• Moisture Conservation (improved yields)

• Potential Disadvantages
• More leaching water
• Increased reliance on herbicides
• Less soil incorporation of chemicals
• Stratifying of nutrients
• Residue interactions (reduced yields)

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Tillage Issues

• tillage effects on hydrology.
• tillage effects on yield/N uptake.
• increased N mineralization with tillage.
• fall versus spring tillage.
• 10-15 leaching reduction with no-till. (estimate)

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Strip intercropping on the contour
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Strip Intercropping on the Contour
(corn/soybean/oats-clover)

• Potential advantages
• Reduced runoff/erosion
• Lower chemical inputs
• Longer time for some operations
• Improved yields from border effects

• Potential Disadvantages
• More leaching water
• Precision application required
• Complications (position/distance)
• Lower value crop mix

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Depth
pasture
corn
soybeans
Ppm Nitrates
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Cropping

• Cropping is the other most important parameter
• Continuous corn probably results in most loss
• Corn/soybeans a close second (depending on corn
  N-rates)
• Fallow not good
• Small grains, grass, clover/alfalfa lowest losses
• 70-95 leaching reduction by switching from row
  crops (estimate)

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NO3-N vs. row-crops
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Effect of Application Rate on Washoff
Concentration
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Effect of Rate on Leachate
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Strip Cropping Tests
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Strip Cropping Tests
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Strip Cropping Tests
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SummaryStrip-cropping reduced

• runoff - 62
• sediment concentration - 40
• soil loss - 81
• Pursuit loss - 76

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Pesticide Banding Tool