The early-season onset of high temperatures and lack of rain
limited both root growth and shoot growth in 2012. Corn and
soybean varieties differ in their relative rooting ability under
stress conditions, but rooting in all varieties after the early
seedling stage depends on energy reserves coming from shoot
growth. "The near-surface soil was so dry, lack of tillage meant
more resistance to root penetration, meaning corn or soybean
plants in those fields sometimes experienced more drought stress
before flowering than other tilled fields, despite the crop
residue cover," Vyn said. "But we may never see such a severe,
early drought occur with that combination of timing and high
temperatures again. "A later-season drought occurring after deep
early root establishment would have favored no-till more." If
farmers decide to practice fall tillage, they can choose from
several management techniques. Standard primary tillage
procedures include using a disk, chisel plow, deep ripper,
moldboard plow or strip tiller. Vyn