NO-TILLERS CAN successfully grow continuous corn, but they will face challenges, says Robert Bellm, a crop systems educator for the University of Illinois Extension Service.

No-tillers must carefully manage the residue from previous crops to avoid the early season growth suppression that is often seen in no-till continuous corn, he says.

Choose hybrids that can help overcome potential insect and disease problems, Bellm says, and growing continuous corn on your “best” fields can also help.

Bellm also recommends keeping in mind the differences in phosphorus and potassium removal that will have to be accounted for when applying fertilizer.

Optimum nitrogen rates might also increase with continuous corn versus rotated corn, he adds.

The use of a starter fertilizer containing nitrogen and phosphorus, if needed, has been shown to be beneficial in at least partially overcoming this problem.

And since good seed-soil contact and early root development are crucial, no-tillers should be extra careful to avoid planting into soils that are too wet and in poor condition, he says.Ä

“The forward trajectory covers one side of vertical-growing targets, but the back side of the target doesn’t get covered...”