Purpose
The majority of Ontario corn is produced using conventional tillage which results in unprotected soil surfaces which are highly vulnerable to erosion. While the call for a shift towards reduced-tillage corn production has been made for decades, adoption has been limited due to productivity and logistical issues. Predictions for an increase in the intensity and duration of rainfall events in the future due to climate change are expected to exacerbate soil erosion losses from conventional tillage systems, and reinforce the requirement to develop simple and effective methods of reduced-tillage systems for corn. Strip tillage is one reduced tillage system which has demonstrated a capability to achieve corn yields similar to conventional tillage while providing meaningful protection against soil erosion. Unfortunately, the economic and environmental incentives of strip tillage have not been enough to convince corn producers to overcome the logistical hurdles associated with the conversion from a conventional-till system. This research project is aiming to develop a simple one-pass spring strip-tillage system which integrates various technologies to help simplify the transition from conventional-till systems, and promote its adoption to produce a more environmentally resilient corn production model.