Ridge tillage for corn and soybean production on clay and clay-loam soils in southwestern Ontario — a review

Abstract

In the early 1980s, ridge tillage became an attractive form of conservation tillage for corn and soybean production on clay and clay-loam soils in southwestern Ontario because of the introduction of improved equipment. Potentially, ridge tillage would enhance spring drying of the seed zone, a major factor limiting the adoption of conservation tillage on these soils. The objective of this paper is to provide an up-to-date review of ridge tillage for corn and soybean production on the clay and clay-loam soils of southwestern Ontario. Ridge tillage on the clay and clay-loam soils of southwestern Ontario is best suited to a corn-soybean rotation in 76-cm rows. A ridge cultivator, planter and wheel spacing compatible with the ridge valleys are required. Ridge tillage generally results in early season soil moisture and temperature conditions within the seed zone which are similar to those from fall moldboard plow tillage, but may result in excessively wet soils in the ridge valleys. Satisfactory weed control can usually be achieved by banded spraying of pre- and post-emergence herbicides in combination with two interrow cultivations. Corn yields are generally less and soybean yields are generally similar to fall moldboard plow tillage systems. Ridge tillage requires approximately 60% less fuel than a conventional fall moldboard plow tillage system. However, ridge tillage has not been widely accepted on the clay and clay-loam soils of southwestern Ontario primarily because it requires a specialized line of equipment and restricts growers to corn-soybean rotations.