Injecting manure into soils with heavy cornstalk residue has long been a challenge for Iowa no-tiller Phil Reed.

Tom Pauly pulls a pair of pliers from the holster on his hip, kneels down and scratches through a thick thatch of crop residue. And he smiles.

Continuous no-till can go a long way toward keeping soil where it’s supposed to be, but a monster rainstorm falling on soybean residue can still result in ephemeral gullies.

Cover crops are the turbocharger of a no-till operation, but scientists and growers alike are still researching and fine-tuning how covers fit into crop rotations.

Conserving soil and improving the bottom line is a win-win scenario for Clay Center, Kan., no-tiller Josh Lloyd.

Other crops make more money than wheat for Palco, Kan., no-tiller Mike McClellan, but its residue increases the yields and profitability of the other crops in the 5-year rotation.

Dietrich Kastens constantly evaluates technology to achieve clear-cut goals. The Herndon, Kan., no-tiller wants Kastens Inc. Farms to compete with the top third of farms in the Kansas Farm Management Database for lowest cost, planting intensity, farm size or expansion, and most importantly, profit.