No-till cropping systems are used around the world to reduce soil erosion, conserve soil moisture, reduce soil organic matter losses, prevent soil compaction, enhance wildlife habitat, protect water resources, and improve soil quality.  Just as importantly these techniques can provide an avenue for producers to reduce their energy use and production costs.

In South Dakota the moisture conservation attributes of no-till are of particular benefit to the production of corn because this crop is capable of turning the added moisture into more net profit. 

There are several characteristics of corn that dictate management practices used for the crop.  Some of these are particularly important in no-till.  Corn yields are very sensitive to uniformity in plant spacing and plant emergence dates.  Yields are similarly responsive to early competition from weeds or shortages in plant nutrition.  Much of this is due to the fact that corn has been bred to NOT tiller or produce multiple ears so it cannot adjust yield components as readily as crops like soybean, sorghum, or small grains.  Corn determines the maximum ear size of its primary (uppermost) ear by the V5 to V6 growth stage (Lejeune and Bernier, 1996).  It is important that things be correct prior to and at this time to assure the crop can achieve its maximum potential.  The following steps are important to achieving uniform stands and early growth in no-till systems:

• Spreading residue uniformly and in a manner that will prevent it from blowing or washing into piles.  This is best accomplished by leaving the stubble tall, intact, and attached.  It is very difficult to produce uniform stands when residue is not uniform.
• Use cover crops where needed and where possible to manage soil moisture levels and residue characteristics.
• Equip the planter appropriately for the anticipated conditions. 
• Optimum has side-band fertilizer openers, residue managers, seed-press mechanism (Keeton firmers or vertical wheels), pop-up fertilizer capability, and active closing wheels (May-Wes, Exapta, Martin, etc)
• Surface band as an alternative to side band is acceptable in some situations.
• Some soil conditions do not require specialized closing wheels.
• Proper planter calibration and adjustment as recommended by the manufacturer.
• Set the planter to move only part of the surface residue and no soil.  Moving too much residue can lead to some of it blowing back over the row (non-uniformity).
• Plant deeply enough to assure the corn growing point will NOT set too shallow (herbicide damage and poor root growth).

The pop-up fertilizer should be a uniform band of a high P source placed above the seed or at seed depth.  The side-band (or surface strip) should contain both nitrogen and available sulfur.  The side-band does not have to be deeper than the seed.  When seeding a corn on corn sequence, leave the stalks as intact and tall as possible and seed to the side or between rows. 

Crop rotations are a powerful tool in managing water and nutrient cycles, insects, diseases, weeds, workloads, and risk, independent of the tillage system used.  Proper crop rotation techniques are imperative to optimizing no-till systems.  No-till soils are typically cooler in the spring which can result in reduced early spring growth in corn. However these same soils will offer better moisture conditions during critical tassling and silking periods.  For information about no-till corn production go to: http://www.dakotalakes.com/Publications.htm.

Written with contributions from Dr. Dwayne Beck, SDSU.