Conservation tillage practices improve soil health but it has been a challenge for growers to adopt no-till or strip till for field with high clay soil series like, Fargo Clay. Subsurface-tile drainage system favors excess soil moisture drainage and offers an opportunity to adopt conservation tillage practices. However, tile drain leads to loss of nutrients depending on tile spacing and depth.
We are conducting two tile-drain experiments to determine, (1) whether we can adopt conservation tillage practices like, no-till/strip-till after tile installation and (2) how tile depth and spacing influence soybean yield and nutrient loss through tile. In our 1 st experiment, we are comparing the effects of (i) chisel-, (ii) strip-, and (iii) no-tillage practices on soybean yield and soil health with and without tile drain condition.
The second experiment will examine how selection of tile spacing and depth influences soybean yield and soil nutrient loss through tile drains. Three tile spacing, 30 B, 40-, and 50-feet and two tile depths, 3- and 4-feet (at each level of tile spacing) on.