No-till soybeans for clear water

     It was a moment in the middle of June 1986 when my eyes were opened to the soil-saving benefits of no-till soybean planting. I was leaving Cedar Rapids by way of Mount Vernon Rd., just after a heavy downpour of rain. There was no hurry to get back to the farm, so I decided to drive straight east to Mt. Vernon, and catch Highway 1 north.

     On the south side of the highway, there was a field that first appeared not to have been planted. I slowed down and realized that I was looking at a field of soybeans. The knee-high stalks of last year’s corn crop were sticking up above the soybeans which were about eight inches tall. The stand was very uniform.

     Most of the field was on a slope back toward the highway. The heavy rain had stopped, but I saw water pouring off the field into the road ditch. To my amazement, that torrent of water was clear and clean! That farmer had placed the value of soil conservation ahead of the traditional ways of doing things. He had planted between last year’s corn rows. The soil holding capacity of those old corn roots could not be denied.

     What is still challenged today is the yield comparisons of no-till soybeans vs. a tillage/plant program. The Iowa Soybean Association’s farmer-led strip trials across the state have shown varying results in yield trials. As Iowa State looks at the profitability comparisons, it appears to be a “toss-up.” However, one thing is not a “toss-up” – if those corn roots are left alone, they offer two seasons of protection against soil loss. If a farmer’s goal, after a heavy rain, is to have a clear water runoff from a field of soybeans, the proven method of farming would be no-till soybean planting!

     For more information on soil and water conservation, stop by the Jones Soil & Water Conservation District office in the USDA Service Center at 300 Chamber Drive in Anamosa, visit us at www.jonesswcd.org, find JonesSWCD on facebook, or give us a call at 319-462-3196, ext. 3.