At first thought, it may seem that crop residue decay could hamper seed germination and new crop growth. However, residue decay and new seedling germination are driven by biological activity in the soil. Both processes can be managed to profitably break down residue while starting fall-seeded cover crops.

The originator of the stripper-header was Shelbourne-Reynolds (S-R), based in Suffolk, England. The grain stripper was borne from the picking head on the manufacturer’s self-propelled green-pea harvester.  The No-Till History series is made possible by Calmer Corn Heads.

Due to the high cost and limited availability of commercial fertilizers over the past few years, we have largely focused on recycling valuable nutrients from crop residue. However, there are lots of other benefits from accelerating your residue decay program, including faster soil organic matter formation, fewer problems with planting and emergence, and improved weed and disease control.

Yield record holders Randy Dowdy and David Hula point out no-tillers may have more control over certain factors that influence yield than they may think.