Comparing Tillage Systems (conventional, minimum, no-till) With Overhead Irrigation Using a 3 Year Crop Rotation of Corn, Soybean, and Barley.

A tillage system study is being conducted on a Lihen sandy loam soil to determine the effects of conventional, minimum, and no-tillage on irrigated crop production.  The objectives of this study are to evaluate the interaction between crop production and tillage when overhead irrigation is used, to examine the influence of tillage systems on soil quality, and identify best soil management options for irrigated crops in the MonDak region. A three-year cropping sequence of corn, soybeans, and malt barley has been selected to test the influence of tillage systems on these crops.  The study was initiated in the spring of 2008.  Grain yield and quality and soil chemical and physical analyses are measured yearly.  Results to date have shown minimal differences in crop yield and quality between the three tillage systems.