Conservation Tillage Study

There was also a marked difference in corn yields between the continuous corn and the corn-soybean rotation. In the past twelve years, rotated corn on the Kalona soil averaged 5 to 15 bushels/acre higher yield than the continuous corn. On the Nira soil, there was a 25 to 33 bushels/acre difference. The higher yield differences on the Nira soil may be attributed in part to some sidehill seep wetness problems in the continuous corn in spite of drainage tile that has been installed. Although there were year-to-year variations, for most years these yield differences were present.