University of Minnesota Extension

WW-07694     Reviewed 2008  

Tillage Best Management Practices for Water Quality Protection in Southeastern Minnesota


Gyles W. Randall
Professor
Southern Research and Outreach Center
Department of Soil, Water and Climate
University of Minnesota		 Lowell M. Busman
Associate Professor
Southern Research and Outreach Center
University of Minnesota Extension Service
Timothy L. Wagar
Associate Professor
Southeast District Office
University of Minnesota Extension Service		 John F. Moncrief
Professor
Department of Soil, Water and Climate
University of Minnesota Extension Service
Norman B. Senjem
Mississippi River Basin Planner
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency		  

Introduction

This publication provides information that can help farmers in the Lower Mississippi River Basin of southeastern Minnesota optimize performance of their tillage system for both erosion control and profitable crop production. It identifies key farm management practices needed to manage production risks associated with reduced tillage and no-till systems. It also draws on more than 18 years of University of Minnesota field trials to help evaluate how particular types of reduced tillage systems perform in different crop rotations in the two sub-regions of the basin: 1) the eastern "Karst" area where wind-deposited (loess) soil overlies fractured bedrock, and where internal soil drainage is generally excellent; and 2) the western "loess-cap" area where loess soil overlies glacial till deposits that often provide poor internal soil drainage.

Table of Contents

Southeastern Minnesota's Water Resources and Soils 1
Why Erosion and Water Quality Are Concerns 1
Using Conservation Tillage to Control Erosion 2
Conservation tillage today
2
How different tillage systems maintain crop residue
3
How management factors affect tillage practices
3
Soil drainage
3
Crop rotation
3
Weed management
4
Planting equipment
4
Nutrient management
4
Manure management
4
Reduced tillage risks and benefits
5
Using Conservation Structures to Control Erosion 6
Tillage Recommendations for Southeastern Minnesota 7
Continuous corn grain production
8
Corn following soybeans
8
Soybeans following corn
8
Corn following alfalfa
8
Long-term Research in Southeastern Minnesota 9
Loess soils over Karst bedrock
9
Continuous corn
9
Corn after soybeans
11
Corn after alfalfa
12
Soybeans after corn
12
Loess-cap soils over glacial till
13
Continuous corn
13
Corn after soybeans
13
Soybeans after corn
14
Resources 14

Illustrations and tables

Figure 1: Major Watersheds in Southeastern Minnesota
Figure 2: Minnesota Land Resource Area Soils Map (Major Land Resource Areas 104 and 105)
Table 1: 2000 Minnesota Corn-Soybean Residue Survey Results
Table 2. Matrix of residue management/yield performance indicators
Table 3 Continuous corn yield as influenced by tillage: Goodhue Co.
Table 4: Continuous corn yield as influenced by tillage: four sites
Table 5: Continuous corn yield as influenced by tillage and starter fertilizer
Table 6: Continuous corn yield as influenced by tillage and injected manure
Table 7: Continuous corn yield as influenced by tillage and in-season cultivation
Table 8: Corn yield and surface residue after soybeans as influenced by tillage and starter fertilizer: Olmsted Co.
Table 9: Corn yield following soybeans as influenced by tillage: Wabasha Co.
Table 10: Corn and soybean yields as influenced by tillage: Goodhue Co.
Table 11: Corn yield after alfalfa as influenced by tillage and in-season cultivation: Winona Co.
Table 12: Soybean yields following corn as influenced by tillage: Wabasha Co.
Table 13: Continuous corn yield as influenced by tillage: Northeastern Iowa
Table 14: Corn and soybean yields in rotation as influenced by tillage: Northeastern Iowa
Table 15: Corn yield after soybean as influenced by tillage and time of N application: Waseca
Table 16: Corn and soybean yields in rotation as influenced by tillage: Waseca

Acknowledgements

Financial support for this publication came from a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 319 Water Quality Grant sponsored by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and secured by the Minnesota Alliance for Conservation and Resource Management.

Special assistance on conservation structures to control erosion was provided by Lawrence Svien, Area Resource Conservationist, United States Department of Agriculture–Natural Resources Conservation Service.

The research data tables were developed by Jeffrey Vetsch, Assistant Scientist, University of Minnesota Southern Research and Outreach Center.


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Phyllis W. Unger, Production Editor

Produced under a license from State of Minnesota, Pollution Control Agency.

Produced by Communication and Educational Technology Services, University of Minnesota Extension.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, this material is available in alternative formats upon request. Please contact your University of Minnesota Extension office or the Extension Store at (800) 876-8636.


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