There is renewed interest in paying farmers to sequester soil carbon by building soil organic matter (SOM) levels. Building soil carbon is dependent upon temperature, moisture, vegetation, tillage, soil texture, crop rotation, and microbial activity. Read more in this article from Ohio's Country Journal.
Cover crops, pollinator strips and compost are among the tools Kelly Kettner uses to improve organic matter and stretch irrigation resources on his 5,000-acre operation in the Texas Panhandle.
While covers may use some water, experienced no-tillers say they build water-holding capacity in no-tilled soils, soften the impact of rain and reduce soil moisture evaporation.
Some growers in the Plains feel incorporating cover crops into no-till systems can’t work because covers will use up all of the available moisture needed for the following cash crop. But experienced no-tillers share what benefits they’ve seen from cover crops on their own farms.
Cover crops can prevent nitrogen losses during winter fallow, but no-tillers should be mindful of how carbon-to-nitrogen ratios in residue affects what’s available for the next crop.
The National Strip-Tillage Conference returns August 8-9, 2024!Build and refine your strip-till system with dozens of new ideas and connections at the 11th Annual National Strip-Tillage Conference in Madison, Wis. Aug. 8-9, 2024. Experience an energizing 2-day agenda featuring inspiring general session speakers, expert-led Strip-Till Classrooms and collaborative Strip-Till Roundtables. Plus, Certified Crop Adviser credits will be offered.
Georgetown, Del., no-tiller Jay Baxter was planning on conducting a cover crop experiment with oats, but when Mother Nature got in the way, he quickly pivoted to another idea for a different type of cover crop experiment.