Steps To Successful No-till Establishment Of Forages

Steps to Successful No-till Establishment of ForagesIf the residue is pinched into theseed furrow and the seed isplaced on top of the residue,seed-soil contact will be poor.The seed may germinate if moisture is available, but the residuewill interfere with root development and emergence will bespotty. Residue pinching is mostlikely to occur when the residuefrom the previous crop is notevenly distributed and heavy ortough residue covers moist orloose soil. Making sure theresidue from the previous harvest is spread evenly over thefield can help solve problemswith residue pinning. Aftersmall-grain harvest, it is best tobale and remove the straw orharvest with a combine equippedwith a chaff spreader to improveplanting conditions. In heavyresidue cover, drills perform bestwhen the residue is dry.Furrow OpenersThree types of furrow openersare commonly used on diskdrills: double-disk openers,single-disk openers and offsetFluted coulters are used for cutting through crop residue.double-disk openers. Doubledisk openers create a nice seedfurrow and are durable in stonyground. Single-disk openersrequire a little less down pressurefor soil penetration than doubledisk openers. Because they attackthe soil at a sharper angle thandouble disks, they disturb lesssoil than double-disk openers.Offset double-disk openers combine a single smooth coultermounted parallel to the directionof travel with a single-diskopener mounted a few inches offcenter to the rear of the smoothcoulter. The smooth coulter cutsthe residue; the angled diskSeed opener and press wheel.opens the furrow.Less soil is disturbedthan with a doubledisk opener. Bootopeners have horizontal wings at thebottom of the openerto cut roots, loosensoil and create a cavity for the seed at thebottom of the seedfurrow.Depth Adjustmentsfor Coulters andOpenersCoulter depth adjustments varyamong drills. Depth adjustmentsusually involve moving clips toincrease pressure on the openerrod pressure rings or adjustingthe depth rod on the gauge-presswheel assembly. Depth control isnot as precise with no-till drillsas with row-crop planters, unlessthe drills have depth controlbands on the furrow opener similar to those on a row cropplanter. When planting condi-A no-till drill with fluted coulters for ease in cutting throughcrop residue.5

Steps to Successful No-till Establishment of ForagesFluted coulters need to be adjusted for downward pressure forproper zone tillage.tions are good, the coulters canbe set to run at the depth of seedplacement. As long as the residueis being cut, the furrow openerwill be able to place the seednear the desired depth, but theactual depth will vary with soilconditions — placement will beshallower in hard soils and deeper in soft soils. If the soil is notbeing thrown out of the seed furrow, the cutting coulter can be setdeeper than the desired depth ofseed placement. Running thecoulters deeper may providemore loose soil for seed coveragebut may cause even more soil tobe thrown from the furrow.The key to coulter depth is tocheck seed location behind thepress wheels. Measure theamount of soil covering the seed,not the depth from the seed tothe surface of the undisturbedsoil. It is usually difficult to placeseed through the disk openershallower than 3 4 inch, whichmay be too deep for small-seeded crops such as alfalfa. Onepossible solution when drillingAdjust downward pressure of press wheels for good soil-seedcontact.small-seeded crops is to redirectthe drop tubes to place the seedin the tilled soil directly in frontof the press wheels rather thandropping the seed through thefurrow opener. The press wheelsthen firm the small seeds into thetilled soil.Press WheelsPress wheels help provide goodseed-soil contact by pushing seedinto the furrow, closing the furrow and firming soil over theseed. Press wheels improveemergence in all conditions andgreatly improve emergence indry conditions. Press wheels willdo a better job than a cultipackerof firming the seed furrow indirect-drill systems. The presswheels should match the need ofthe forage crop and the amountof soil loosened.In tilled fields, dry, loose soilrequires more packing thandamp, cohesive soil. No-tilland sod seeding, where little soil6is tilled, requires more concentrated packing than seeding inloose soil. Some press wheelssimply firm the soil that remainsin the seed furrow; others actively move soil into the seed furrow.Rubber press wheels flex as theyroll over the ground. This allowsthem to shed sticky, damp soil,which can build up on rigidpress wheels. Narrow presswheels increase pressure over theseed. Wider press wheelsdecrease pressure over the seedbut are unlikely to push seed toodeep in soft soil. The dual 1-inch,V-configured press wheels firmthe soil from the sides and actively move loose soil over the seedfurrow. This leaves the soildirectly over the seed furrowloose and slightly elevated andhelps prevent water puddlingand soil crusting over the seedfurrow. This type of press wheelcould dig in or bury small seedsin soft soil.Some of the most valuable timespent in no-till seeding forages isthe time spent off the tractor

Steps to Successful No-till Establishment of Forageschecking seed placement, seedcoverage and soil firming. Beprepared to experiment andmake whatever changes andadjustments are necessary to getthe job done right.Weed ManagementNo-till seeding systems, likeother seeding methods, requireperennial weeds to be controlledprior to establishment. Management of annual weeds followingrow crops or small grains can beaccomplished with selective herbicides.The major benefits of weed control in new seedings areimproved forage quality in thefirst harvest and insuranceagainst stand loss from intenseweed competition. Weeds shouldbe controlled during the first 60days after emergence to preventloss of stands. In conventionaltillage, weeds present at plantingare killed by tillage during finalseedbed preparation. With no-tillseeding, vegetation control mustbe done with herbicides.Annual weed control is accomplished before planting withburndown herbicides such asparaquat or glyphosate products.The required rate varies withweed species and size. Refer tothe product labels for details.Glyphosate products are preferred if perennial weeds arepresent. Fields with seriousperennial weed problems shouldnot be no-till planted with foragegrass or legume crops.Perennial weeds should be controlled in the previous crop or inthe fall before a spring seeding.Herbicide options in the fallinclude glyphosate products,2,4-D amine, or a combination ofa glyphosate product plus 2,4-Damine. Do not apply 2,4-D aminein the spring prior to springplanting.The need for a burndown herbicide depends on the presence ofweeds at planting time. If noweeds are present, a burndownherbicide is not needed. Previousstudies in Michigan, Minnesotaand Wisconsin have shown thatusing herbicides at planting andsubsequent selective postemergence herbicides can significantly increase the alfalfa percentage and forage quality in thefirst harvest (Table 5) if weedsare present at planting time,regardless of species or size. Allof the herbicides listed for postemergence application can beused in all tillage systems,including no-till seeding. A limited number of selective postemergence herbicides are available for no-till alfalfa. Herbicideuse recommendations for no-tillestablishment of forages can befound in the “Weed ControlGuide for Field Crops”,Extension bulletin E-434 (forMichigan), or “Pest Managementin Field Crops”, A3646(Wisconsin), or “Cultural andChemical Weed Control in FieldCrops”, BU-03157 (Minnesota).Table 5. Forage yield and composition of no-till alfalfa as affected by herbicides.First yearSecond yearCut 1Cut 2Cut 886Paraquat 2,4-DB1.4921.4620.8972.897Herbicide7Cut 1

Steps to Successful No-till Establishment of ForagesNo-till Seeding intoExisting PasturesOften it may not be necessary todestroy an existing pasture withherbicides, especially if it is comprised of preferred grasses.When interseeding with eithergrasses or legumes, it is important to select species such as redclover, perennial and annual ryegrass, festulolium and orchardgrass, which have some toleranceto shading — existing pasturespecies will compete for sunlightand shade new seedlings. Closegrazing of pastures in the previous fall followed by early springinterseeding and rotational grazing will help reduce competitionfrom the existing sod. Legumeand grass species that work wellwith interseeding include Italianryegrass, perennial ryegrass,orchardgrass and red clover.Interseeding often will help to fillin thin stands in pastures.Some Minnesota researchdemonstrated the importance ofsod suppression in achievingacceptable stands of legumesduring pasture renovation(Table 6). Even the slow developing Kura clover established aslong as a suppression rate ofglyphosate was used prior tono-till drilling.Close grazing in the fall andearly spring prior to no-till seeding, together with hoof trafficduring the first 5 to 7 days afterTable 6. Influence of sod suppression with glyphosate (0.55 lb a.i./A)on establishment of legumes in grass pasture in western Minnesota(averaged over 2 years, two sampling dates and four no-till plantingmethods) (Cuomo et al., 2001).Sod suppressionNo suppressionPercent standAlfalfa524Birdsfoot trefoil330Kura clover251Red clover422LSD (0.05)3.6seeding, can often provide goodby August 1 in northern regionsestablishment of legumes such asand August 15 in southernred clover and grasses such asregions (Figure 1). Forage grassesperennial ryegrass with goodcan be seeded in either the springseedling vigor. When no-tillingor summer. Late summer seedingslower establishing species intoof forage grasses is often moregrass sods, however, using a suppresspring seeding preferredsion rate oflate-summer seeding preferredglyphosate willimprove establishment success rate.SeedingDatesspring seeding datesAlfalfa, grasses andother legumes canbe seeded in Aprilwhen soil moistureis conducive forplanter operation.Seeding thelegumes in thesummer is anotheralternative. Mostforage legumesshould be plantedMay 1–30April 15–May 15April 1–30March 15–April 15late-summer seeding datesJuly 20–August 1August 1–15August 15–Sept. 1September 1–15Figure 1. Preferred seeding dates for legumes.8

Steps to Successful No-till Establishment of Foragessuccessful than spring seedingsbecause there is less weed pressure at this time and soils arewarm and conducive for quickgermination. Summer-seededgrasses should be planted byAugust 15 in northern areas andby September 1 in southernregions (Figure 2).but changing species is an easysolution with little or no expense.Matching forage species to soilcharacteristics not only makesestablishment easier but alsoimproves production over thelife of the stand (see Table 7).Seeding Ratesand SpeciesSome forage species are bettersuited to certain soil types thanothers. For example, alfalfa hasan optimum soil pH of 6.8 butwill grow at soil pH 6.0 withreduced yield. Birdsfoot trefoil,red clover, ladino or white clover,however, have an optimum soilpH of 6 to 6.2and will grow atsoil pH 5.5 withAugust 1–15reduced yield. ItAugust 15 – August 30is often too difficult or expensiveAugust 30 – September 15to change soilSeptember 15–30characteristicssuch as pH orpoor drainage,Figure 2. Preferred late summer seeding dates for grasses.Refer to Michigan StateUniversity Extension bulletinE-2307 for more information onforage species and their adaptability to Midwest conditions orto "Forage Variety Update forWisconsin", A 1525. The sameinformation can be obtained fromthe following Web sites fromMichigan State University — http://www.msue.msu.edu/fis/links.htm — and the Universityof Wisconsin http://www.uwex.edu/ces/forage/ .Table 7. Forage species tolerance to soil and environmental limitations.CropSeedlingVigorDroughtyWetLow pH(below ot trefoilLowModerateHighHighModerateRed cloverHighLowModerateModerateHighLadino cloverModerateLowHighModerateHighWhite cloverModerateLowHighModerateHighKura ghLowModerateModerateModerateItalian ryegrassHighModerateHighModerateLowKentucky ghModerateModerateModerateHighPerennial ryegrassHighLowModerateModerateLowReed canarygrassLowHighHighHighHighSmooth bromegrassHighHighModerateModerateHighTall ModerateLowModerateModerateHigh9Winter hardiness

Steps to Successful No-till Establishment of ForagesTable 8. Seeding rates, depths and times for direct drilling forage crops.CropSeeding rate per acre (lb)AloneAlfalfaorDepth (inches)Planting datein a mixture12-168-121/2Spring or summerBirdsfoot trefoil861/2SpringLadino clover211/2Spring or summerRed clover8 -1061/2Spring or summerKura Clover641/2SpringSmooth bromegrass1261/2Spring or summerOrchardgrass102-41/2Spring or summerTimothy6-82-41/2Spring or summerPerennial ryegrass20-302-101/2Spring or summerItalian ryegrass20-302-101/2Spring6-861/2Spring or summerFestulolium20-304-101/2Spring or summerTall fescue1561/2Spring or summerSorghum XSudan hybrid201-2May 15-June 15Turnip21/2May 15-July 15Rape51/2-1May 15-July 15Reed canarygrassSeeding rates for new stands foreither hay or pasture are given inTable 8. Seeding rates for no-tillseeding are similar to rates forconventional drilling of forages.In general, seeding rates for single species are heavier becausethere is no competition betweenforage species. However, whenseeding grasses with legumes,the seeding rate of the grassspecies is usually reduced tominimize competition with thelegume species. This allows thelegume to persist longer.—Table 9. Effect of seed lot onseed flow through planters.Drill Calibration(Data from Dan Undersander, Universityof Wisconsin.)Calibration of drills is importantto ensure stand success. Seedlots vary considerably in size andseeding rates (see Table 9).Calibrate SeederVariety/ BrillionlotseederJohn 816.5620.316.810You should calibrate the drilleven if the same variety is beingseeded but year and/or lot ofseed has changed. Seed coatingscan be quite variable betweenseed lots. Follow the drill manufacturer's procedures for drill calibration or Table 10 to obtain anaccurate seeding rate. Table 10provides a handy reference chartto be used in drill calibrationprior to planting.

Steps to Successful No-till Establishment of ForagesTable 10. Seeding ratecalibration chart for 7-inch rowwidth drills.Lb. / A.Lb./ ft.Oz. / 100 0.30160.000210.34180.000240.38200.000270.43A no-till planter showing seed openers and steel press wheels.A diet scale is an inexpensive andeffective tool for calibrating seeding rates and can be purchased atgrocery stores and pharmaciesfor generally less than 10. It cansave many dollars by preventingover- or under-seeding withexpensive forage seed.Soil Testingand FertilizerRequirementsTake soil samples after harvest inthe fall or before planting in thespring. Fall sampling is preferred if lime applications areanticipated. Other advantages offall sampling include dry soil(soils are normally drier in thefall than in the spring) and leadtime for planning and fertilizerpurchase. Soil samples taken inthe spring usually test higherthan fall samples, so keep thesampling time the same fromyear to year for long-termcomparisons. Fields should betested every three years. Thefirst step in sampling is to sizeup the field to be sampled byasking the following questions:Will the field be farmed as a single unit? Are there any featuresthat would lead you to believethat a portion of the field hasreceived different treatments inthe past, such as liming treatments, manure rates or management practices? What are the dif-ferent soil types in the area? Arethere any small areas that shouldbe avoided while collecting soilsamples?Sample distribution usuallydepends on the degree of variability in a given area. In relatively uniform areas smaller than20 acres, a composite sample of20 cores taken in a random orzigzag manner is usuallyInterseeding into an existing pasture to improve stand density (note bare areas in thepasture.)11

Steps to Successful No-till Establishment of Foragessufficient. Largerareas are usuallysubdivided intosmaller units. Usesoil survey manualsto help you determine types withinfields. Check withyour soil-testing laboratory to determineits requirements forsample size.local Extension officeand ask for a publication on sampling soilsfor fertilizer and limerecommendations.Soil testing equipLegume establishment into wheat stubble using a no-till planter.ment includes a mapof the soil, a notebook for marking and keepingtop layer may be more acid thantrack of samples, a sampling toolthe lower part of the profile. It isand a clean plastic pail for samsuggested that two separate sample collection. Areas of a fieldples from a field be taken forthat should be avoided or samanalysis, one from the top to bepled separately include waterused for soil pH and lime requireways, fencerows or lanes, strawment only, and the other from theor brush piles, fertilizer bands,entire soil profile to be used for Psandy ridges and potholes, andand K recommendations. Fordead or back furrows.more information on soil sampling procedures, contact yourOnce the 20 samples are taken,mix the samples thoroughly in apail before putting a compositesample into a soil test box tosend to the laboratory. If youneed to dry the samples beforesubmitting them to the laboratory, air dry them rather than subject samples to heat.Non-uniform areas should besubdivided on the basis of obvious differences such as slopeposition or soil type. Soil samplesused for nutrient recommendations should be taken to a depthof 6 inches. When nitrogen fertilizer is on the surface of no-tillfields for a number of years, theCattle grazing in pastures with soils low inmagnesium may beprone to grass tetany.When lime is neededon these soils, consider using dolomiticlimestone, which willprovide additionalmagnesium.When selecting a liming material,it is important to understand differences between them. Lime iscalcium oxide. However, in agriculture, "lime" is any Ca or Mgcompound capable of neutralizing soil acidity. "Lime requirement" is the amount of materialneeded to increase the soil pH toa particular point or reduce soluble aluminum.A no-till drill with coil tine and sod-slicing Baker Boot opener without a disc coulter usedin overseeding pastures.12

Steps to Successful No-till Establishment of ForagesCollect 20 cores in a random manner and place into aplastic bucket for mixing."Neutralizing value" or "calciumcarbonate equivalent" compares aliming material to pure calciumcarbonate. Calcite is pure calciumcarbonate and contains 40 percent calcium. Dolomite is a mixture of calcium and magnesiumcarbonate and contains 21.6 percent calcium and 13.1 percentmagnesium. Analyses of limestone materials range widely.There are no clear standards forthe term "calcitic or dolomiticlimestone". Generally, if a limingmaterial is greater than 2 percentmagnesium, it is called dolomiticlimestone; otherwise it is calledcalcitic limestone. Most limingmaterials are mixtures of calciumand magnesium carbonate.Neutralizing value is usuallyvariable between 65and 95 percent. Marlis a soft, unconsolidated deposit of calcium carbonate. It isvery wet and needsto be stockpiled todry before spreading.Its neutralizing valueis between 70 and 90percent. Other materials used in liminginclude slag from theiron industry, fly ashfrom coal burningplants, sludge fromwater treatmen

no-till seeding include sloping or highly ero-sive soils, timeliness in planting, energy sav-ings, stony soils and access to a no-till drill. No-till seeding favors moisture conservation. No-till seeding for pasture reno-vation allows for preservation of some to all of the existing desir-able sod grasses, reduced erosion, greater renovation-year