EC96-780 Equipment Wheel Spacing for Ridge-Till and No-Till Row Crops

Use of ridge-till and no-till systems has increased dramatically since the early 1980s when ridge-planting equipment and conservation tillage cultivators became readily available. The ridge-till system involves the establishment and annual re-forming of permanent, single-row ridges into which crops are planted year after year. To obtain maximum productivity with the ridge-plant system (and many believe with no-till systems), all wheel traffic should be confined to interrows. Wheel traffic on ridges can alter the ridge profile and condition of crop residue. Ridge deformation or excessive tire sinkage can affect subsequent planter performance, crop emergence and the overall productivity of both ridge-till and no-till systems. Thus, the row (ridge or root zone) area should not be compacted by the tires from field equipment. For these reasons, it is important to consider equipment wheel spacing