Crop Protection
Think DifferentLong-term no-tillers know that their soil uses nitrogen more efficiently over time. That’s now been scientifically documented by Dave Franzen, North Dakota Extension fertility specialist.When nitrogen is 50¢ per lb. and corn is $3, the efficiency bonus of no-till is 36-100 fewer lbs. of nitrogen per acre needed to be cost-efficient than the same soil conventionally farmed.“This nitrogen efficiency happens because soil microbes’ predator-prey cycle concentrates nitrogen into a plant-available form as they eat,” says Jill Clapperton, root-zone expert and Rhizoterra principal scientist, Spokane, Wash. “For the first five years of no-till, the microbes build the biomass infrastructure of soil structure. Once the predator-prey cycle reaches full efficiency, it recycles nitrogen more efficiently, and you require less commercial nitrogen.”