DEEPER ROOTING IN MINIMUM TILLAGE TO CONSERVE ENERGY

Conserving energy in the 1980's is more than just reducing fuel or "petrol " use. We would like to believe a little energy conservation is essential, preferably by someone else or by some governmental action that will provide us with labor saving productivity improvements to maintain the comforts we have become accustomed to. Scientific reality, however, dictates that quick easy solutions will not be developed without careful planning for the efficient use of our energy resources and without strong efforts to find and develop new sources of energy. Because agriculture is the primary source of our food supply, energy must be considered in relation to the total crop production potential, i.e. production per petrol dollar spent or production per unit of energy input. Reduced tillage defined No-till farming in concept is directed to lower use of energy for crop production. Unfortunately the word no-till is misleading, in fact