What Orthman Manufacturing Sees for 2020 Compaction Studies

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Published December 11, 2019 | By Mike Petersen

 

Sending you all who consider this website/webpage a spot to be informed about the Strip-Till World as it turns with Orthman Manufacturing and the World Leading 1tRIPr regarding plans for more studies in the field hopefully in four states what is happening in the spring with Soil Compaction.  We are looking at what are the levels of (severity) of compaction in Conventional tilled fields, No-Till fields and then Strip-Tilled fields – mainly corn.  This last year – 2019, we measured some expected and not-so-expected numbers in moist to nearly wet conditions that surprised the farmers and then we saw Mohawk root conditions which limited growth and nutrient uptake.

 

Then later in the year before harvest we heard that corn fell over due to a couple of nasty days of winds 60mph+ with blown over corn due to Mohawk root systems and weakened stalk health due to plant health from maybe fertility uptake.  All not good.

 

As we reported here back this early fall, the amount of force that a young plant before V4 stage in corn, only has a limited amount of energy and push power at the root tips – up to 60psi.  But our measurements with a penetrometer showed even in loamy sand soils some conditions of 160psi resistance in the soils at 7-8 inches in a strip-tilled field.  Corn growth was slowed until it had a bit more age then went on, but yield was impacted just the same.  Now when the corn reachs V8 stage it has up to 160psi of force at the root tip to extend, but with soil density reaching levels of 400psi – oh the plant is going to struggle.

 

The image to the left is quite dramatic due to sidewall compaction which we measured this last spring after planting with a newer method of lateral compaction testing.  The smear really can do a number on the root systems growth potential.

 

So folks, this fall we should have a more complete set of results to share with you after we measure fields again this coming spring.  It is not our intent to bash anyone, but to offer field testing numbers that we know about and what is happening with the Strip-Till world and using technology to advocate being the best you can be in raising corn whether it is naturally rainfed or irrigated.  So please stay tuned.

 

 

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