Ron Mulford is constantly looking for ways to squeeze more profit out of an acre of ground. A switch to narrower-row crop production was the method he turned to in a push to increase no-till corn yields.

With timely cultivation that incorporates the application of banded and encapsulated herbicides in cooler climates, some no-tillers can boost their bottom lines, says Faribault, Minn., no-tiller John Derham.

Field conditions dictate proper use of no-till drill attachments, says Monsanto Conservation Tillage Specialist John Bradley. “The key is to be prepared when you no-till under different field conditions, different moisture conditions and different residue conditions,” says Bradley.

Marion Calmer knows that proper use of nitrogen leads to increased profits, higher yields and less runoff.

If new technology can help Oxford, Ind., no-tiller Jim Wilkinson make money, he’ll try it.