Vertical tillage a double-edged sword for farmers

By Blake Jackson

A new study by Penn State researchers has found that vertical tillage, a type of tillage that disturbs the soil minimally, may not provide all the benefits that farmers expect of it.

Andrew Lefever, a Penn State doctoral student who led the research project, presented the findings at the Keystone Crops and Soils Conference in November 2022.

Vertical tillage is often used by farmers as a compromise between no-till and conventional tillage. It is intended to keep some of the soil health benefits of no-till while also incorporating some crop residue into the soil.

Lefever's study found that vertical tillage reduced the amount of residue covering the soil by an average of 16%. This reduction was more pronounced for more aggressive vertical tillage tools.

Vertical tillage also reduced winter annual weeds by an average of 14%. However, Lefever found that vertical tillage was not effective enough at controlling weeds to allow farmers to stop spraying herbicides.

In addition, vertical tillage was only marginally effective at controlling slugs, reducing pest damage by only 9%.

Lefever's study did not find a difference in crop yields between vertical tillage and no-till. However, the researchers did find that vertical tillage can create a hardpan below the depth of the tillage tool, which could potentially harm crops.

Overall, the study suggests that vertical tillage is a mixed bag for farmers. It may provide some benefits, such as reduced weed pressure and improved seedbed preparation. However, it also has some drawbacks, such as reduced residue cover and the potential for hardpan formation.

Farmers should carefully consider the pros and cons of vertical tillage before deciding whether to use it on their farms.

Photo Credit: istock-azmanjaka