R. David MyersExtension Educator, Agriculture

Sustainable and Low InputStrip-Till & No-Till Vegetable

Planting Tactics 2004-2006

Preliminary Report

Fountain of Wealth?

Do We Need Pesticides?

• National Organic Standards http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/indexIE.htm

Do We Need Pesticides?• Organic Trade Association

http://www.ota.com/organic/mt/business.html

• Current Organic Food Sales 1-2%The Rodale Institute has set a goal of 100,000 certified organic U.S. farmers, representing five percent of the 2 million American farmers, by the year 2013, In May 2003. Certified organic U.S. farmers now number approximately 12,200.—The Rodale Institute, www.newfarm.org/news/050103/0528/100,000.shtml.

German Foxtail Millet 5 Days AP

German Foxtail Millet 60 Days AP

Pak Choi Plot Yield 9-7-00

28.5

10.1

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

yieldlbs/plot

LSD = 5.05P = .0014

Strip-TillNo-Till

Kai Brady

Ferguson Manufacturing Company

P.O. Box 1098 Suffolk, VA 23439

Phone 757 539-3409

Fax 757 934-3612

Quote: Ferguson Company 2-13-03

Ferguson 1-Row Rip-Strip-Till Implement

Assembled Components:

4”X 4”X 48” front bar with Cat. 1 hitch

2.5” X 2.5” X 48” bar with no-till coulter

4” X 7” X 48” bar with 1 subsoiler shank & 2 side coulters

2.5” X 2.5” X 48” bar with 2 parallel linkages & 1 double basket

assembly – 12” baskets

Depth gauge wheel assembly

2- park stands

Dealer Retail $2,954.00

Monosem Planters US/A.T.I. Inc.

17135 W 116th Street

Lenexa, KS 66219

Paul Wood Eastern US Sales

Phone 757 539-3409 Ext. 5

Fax 757 934-3612

Monosem DealersBinkley & Hurst Bros. Inc, Lilitz, PA 717 626-4705Leatherbury Equipment Inc. Cheriton, VA 757 331-2681Robertson Equipment Inc. Colerain, NC 252 356-4782

Quote: Binkley & Hurst Inc. 2-14-03

Monosem NG Plus Mounted Planter

Assembled Components:

2-Row NG+ 36” wide planter

1.4 bushel seed hopper

Turbo fan PTO with vacuum gauge

Dry fertilizer with double disk openers

Frame mounted no-till coulter

Trash sweeps

Heavy duty down pressure spring kit

Small seed air cleanout system

Concave and v-closing disks

14 sets of seed plates

Dealer Retail $12,923.00

Table 1. Vegetable Planting Data

Crop Variety Row Spacing (inches)In Between

Planting Depth (inches)

Target Planting DatesSpring Fall

Sugar Snap Peas Sugar Bon 13/4 36 1/2 3 /1-3/12 8/15-8/24

Collards Champion 13/4 36 1/4 4/7-4/24 8/15-8/24

Kale Blue Curled Scotch 15/8 36 1/4 4/7-4/24 8/15-8/24

Turnips Purple Top 13/4 36 1/4 4/7-4/24 8/15-8/24

Chinese Cabbage Pak Choy & Michili 15/8 36 1/4 4/7-4/24 8/15-8/24

Spinach Tyee & Melody 15/8 36 1/4 4/7-4/24 8/15-8/24

Radish Red Globe & Icicle 13/4 36 1/4 4/7-4/24 8/15-8/24

Lettuce Salad Bowl & Oak Leaf 11/16 36 1/8 4/7-4/24 8/15-8/24

Swiss Chard Fordhook 13/8 36 3/8 4/7-4/24 8/15-8/24

Sweet Corn Argent &Incredible 81/3 36 11/4 4/28-5/8 NA

Popcorn South American Yellow Giant

81/3 36 11/4 4/28-5/8 NA

Ornamental Corn Indian 81/3 36 11/4 4/28-5/8 NA

Snap Beans Jade 2 36 11/4 5/8-5/20 NA

Summer Squash Goldbar, Fortune Straightneck & Seneca Zucchini

18 36 11/2 5/8-5/20 NA

Watermelon Crimson Sweet, Sugar Baby & Jubilee

22 120 11/2 5/8-5/20 NA

Pumpkins & Winter Squash

Autumn Gold, Cushaw Striped, Bird House, Jack-Be-Little & Gourd Mix

22 120 11/2 6/7-6/20 NA

Table 2. Vegetable Strip-Till & No-Till Yield Averages 2004-2006

Crop Variety Yield lbs/acreStrip-Till No-Till

Kale Blue Curled Scotch 11,315a 8,345b

Turnips Purple Top 32,625a 26,100b

Chinese Cabbage Pak Choy 15,950a 11,600b

Chinese Cabbage Michili 20,300a 17,400b

Radish Red Globe 4,644a 4,060b

Swiss Chard Fordhook 7,975a 7,685b

Sweet Corn Argent 8,350a 7,940a

Popcorn South American Yellow Giant

4,900a 5,082a

Ornamental Corn Indian 10,527a 8,258b

Summer Squash Goldbar 15,518a 8,276b

Summer Squash Seneca Zucchini 23,413a 22,596a

Watermelon Jubilee 20,283a 16,063b

Pumpkins Autumn Gold, 12,524a 12,251a

Gourds Mixed 3,405a 3,367a

Gourds Birdhouse 14,422a 14,520a

Leafy Greens Yield Lbs/Acre

7 WAP CMREC, Upper Marlboro 2004-2006

8,345

11,315

26,100

32,625

11,600

15,950

4,060 4,644

7,685 7,975

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

Kale Turnips Pak Choy Radish Chard

No-Till

Strip-Till

ab

a

b

a

b

a ba b

Indian Corn Ear Weight/Acre 12 WAP

CMREC, Upper Marlboro 2004-2006

8,258

10,527

6000

7000

8000

9000

10000

11000

12000

Lbs/AcreEar Weight

P=0.022411

No-TillStrip-Till

a

b

Popcorn Ear Weight/Acre 12 WAP

CMREC, Upper Marlboro 2004-2006

5,0824,900

40004200440046004800500052005400560058006000

Lbs/AcreEar Weight

NotSignificant

No-TillStrip-Till

Zucchini Squash Yield 7-9 WAP, Harvested Weekly

CMREC, Upper Marlboro 2004-2006

22,596

23,413

1500016000170001800019000200002100022000230002400025000

Lbs/Acre Non-Significant

No-TillStrip-Till

Yellow Squash Yield 7-9 WAP, Harvested Weekly

CMREC, Upper Marlboro 2004-2006

8,276

15,518

5000

7000

9000

11000

13000

15000

17000

19000

Lbs/Acre P=0.058168

No-TillStrip-Till

a

b

Watermelon Yield 13 WAP

CMREC, Upper Marlboro 2004-2006

16,063

20,283

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

No-TillStrip-Till

a

b

Pumpkin & Gourds Yield Lbs/Acre

15 WAP CMREC, Upper Marlboro 2004-2006

12,25112,524

15,585

17,300

14,52014,422

3,367 3,405

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000

Pumpkin Cushaw Birdhouse Mixed Gourds Not Significant

No-Till

Strip-Till

Preliminary Study ConclusionsResponse to strip-tillage may be variety sensitive.

For most crops investigated in this study strip-tillage led to a 20% to 30% increased plant population at emergence than no-tillage.

Strip-tillage warms the soil which provided a 15% to 35% yield increase in early spring planted leafy greens and vegetables.

Strip-tillage eliminated the cover crop competition, which led to robust seedling growth.

Preliminary Study ConclusionsEarly pre plant burndown (EPP) of the cover crop is recommended when soil moisture is limiting. During drought conditions EPP one week prior to planting for each foot of cover crop canopy.

EPP of cover crop will also reduce the chance for seed germination inhibition due to allelopathy.

No-tillage may be more cost effective for summer vegetables with fast germination and quick seedling growth.

R. David MyersExtension Educator, Agriculture

Thank You!Any Questions?

Check out our website!!! 

www.AnneArundel.umd.edu

Sustainable and Low Input

Strip-Till & No-Till Vegetable

Planting Tactics 2004-2006

Preliminary Report