No-till systems have been promoted as a valuable tool to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration and reduce soil erosion vs. intensive tillage systems. While numerous approaches to estimate the amounts and rates of SOC sequestration in no-till have been published, Ken Olson says questions abound on the protocol for assessing rates.

Ken Olson will share results of a 12-year cover crops study in southern Illinois on the effects of soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration, storage and retention, as well as corn and soybean yields. The use of cover crops was studied on these previously eroded soils for its maintenance and restoration of SOC, and different tillage systems were set up with and without cover crops.