Definitions of Tillage Systems for Corn

TL;DRAbstract

If "tillage" is defined as the mechanical manipulation of soil, it follows, then, that a "tillage system" would be the sequence of soil-manipulation operations performed in producing a crop. Today, however, such a definition is recognized as inadequate. We know, for instance, that the management of non-harvested plant tissue (i.e., residue) affects both crop production and soil erosion, and that field operations in which the soil is not tilled have a marked influence on soil condition. Therefore, in this publication, a tillage system is the sequence of all operations involved in producing the crop, including soil manipulation, harvesting, chopping or shredding of residue, application of pesticides and fertilizers, etc. But before describing and comparing the various tillage systems for corn, some terminologies and possible points of confusion need to be addressed. These have to do with primary vs. secondary tillage and the different ways in which similar tillage systems could be define

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