The Minnesota Strip Till Expo was held at the Southwest Research and Outreach Center on Tuesday, August 11, 2009. This Expo offered the latest University of Minnesota research and information on strip tillage and compared strip-tillage equipment in action through field demonstrations. Besides many environmental benefits, conservation tillage practices, such as strip-tillage, can yield economic benefits as well. Fuel costs can be reduced as trips across the field are decreased and fertilizer costs can be decreased if fertilizer is banded instead of broadcast.
With fall strip tillage, a zone typically 5 to 9 inches deep and 7 to 9 inches wide is tilled in the crop row, while the area between rows is untouched. The crop is subsequently planted into the cleared strips in the spring. Strip-tillage addresses a common concern of conservation tillage related to soil wam-up in the spring by clearing residue in the plant row while maintaining high residue levels overall.
View the Expo's brochure or learn more about strip tillage through the presentations offered during the Strip Tillage Expo.