When it comes to selecting the critical traits found with hybrids which perform best under various tillage systems, farmers attending the 1998 National No-Tillage Conference in Indianapolis, Ind., cited significant differences.

Early Growth

Both slower and erratic emergence under no-till conditions were the chief concerns mentioned by farmers. This was followed closely by a lack of early vigor in cool, wet soils.

Other farmers felt early growth ratings aren’t as good and root and stalk strength isn’t as strong with no-till. Other farmers mentioned uneven germination due to soil temperatures.

Yet, one grower reversed the normal concerns. He didn’t feel high-yielding corn grown with conventional tillage had as uniform emergence as no-tilled corn grown under more extreme conditions. Still another farmer maintains yields are higher and weed pressures lower with no-tilled corn.

Temperature And Disease

Cold tolerance and a lack of disease resistance with no-till were concerns voiced by many farmers.

Northern Differences

“For the Northern geographies where no-till adoption is slow, I suspect hybrid characteristics are extremely important relative to cold tolerance,” says Pete Hill, a conservation tillage specialist for Monsanto at Urbandal, Iowa. “Therefore, improvements specific to this issue could benefit the adoption curve.”

Others felt there is better dry-weather tolerance among hybrids with no-till. Some even feel no-till corn outperforms conventional tillage in dryland areas.

Another farmer says his farm almost always has a dry spell for at least a few weeks during the summer. As a result, his no-till corn doesn’t show the drought stress as…