We started No-Till drilling last autumn with the Simba Great Plains, we drilled 25% of our area through all soil types and all crops. Overall the crops have looked well throughout the growing season although a little scruffy on headlands and in the wheeling’s to start with. I was a little concerned with the rooting on the rape but the wet spring helped these crops survive and the yield has been no dissimilar to that of the conventionally sown crops. Once harvest is complete I will then study yield data more closely.
So what have we learnt to date?
Grass weed control has been better in the No-Till crops especially in Osr from early applied propyzamide which worked extremely well. Black grass control in Wheat has been no worse than that in a conventional system, our poorest control of BG has actually been in a conventional min-till system, but then we are all aware of the issues with a prolonged disc tine approach.
Going forwards we are now looking at straw/stubble rakes to allow at least one a stale seedbed to be accomplished before drilling and cover cropping to go on overwintered stubbles prior to spring crops.
However my biggest concern or drawback of the Great Plains is establishment of Osr, I still believe we need to use a low disturbance leg to establish Osr.
I would be interested to hear how other No-Till farmers are establishing No-Till Osr?