Tillage system performance in southern Minnesota

The agronomic performance of tillage practices is influenced by many factors, some of which the farmer cannot control. The weather, something we have little control over, dramatically affects agriculture and crop production. Our weather (climate) is also changing, which affects the agronomic performance of our cultural practices. In the Midwest, climate change has resulted in increased annual precipitation and greater frequency of intense rainfall events (EPA, 2010). Greater annual rainfall results in cold and wet soils, which reduce the number of days for field operations thus delaying important field operations like planting. Increased precipitation and rainfall intensity increases soil erosion. All of these factors along with soil characteristics (texture, internal drainage, parent material) influence our tillage system choices