Strip-till, other management strategies, and their interactive effects on corn grain and soybean seed yield

Abstract

Alleviation of cold, wet, compacted soils is of great importance for earlier planting that can lead to improved yield in short growing season environments. Strip-till adoption in corn (Zea mays L.) has increased as a sustainable means to improve soil conditions and yield; however, the response of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] to strip-till has been less consistent. This study aims to: (i) quantify the effect of strip-till, row spacing (soybean only), crop rotation (corn only), fertilizer placement, and in-furrow fungicide application on corn and soybean plant population, canopy coverage, and grain or seed yield, (ii) evaluate the effect of strip-till on soil temperature and penetration resistance, and (iii) determine best management recommendations for strip-till use in Wisconsin corn and soybean production systems. A small-plot experiment was conducted in Arlington, WI, during the 2016, 2017, and 2018 growing seasons. In soybean, banded fertilizer resulted in 0.3 Mg ha–1 (6.5%) greater yield than surface-applied fertilizer. Greatest soybean seed yield was obtained by combining strip-till, in-furrow fungicide, and 38-cm row spacing. In corn, strip-till yielded 0.8 Mg ha–1 (5.7%) greater than no-till and banded fertilizer yielded 0.7 Mg ha–1 (4.9%) higher than surface-applied fertilizer. In soybean, yields in strip-till were generally equivalent to no-till and yield benefits associated with strip-till were dependent on other management factors. In corn, banded fertilizer, strip-till, and the corn in corn–soybean (CS) rotation with in-furrow fungicide resulted in greatest yields. Strip-till was a beneficial soil management tool for improving grain yield in Wisconsin.