Improved Soil Condition is Good for Crops

The fact that improved soil condition pay off in better crops seems obvious, but South Dakota State researchers have 40 years of data to back that up.  They say the improvement is related to improved moisture availability.  In South Dakota, rainfall is an issue every year.  In Illinois, it is normal to have some moisture stress in the summer.  Greg Sauder is looking at irrigation and drainage to better control moisture issues.  I agree that we need to control excessive water, but I am not sure we realize the importance of moisture conservation too.  We can conserve moisture with cover crops and tillage practices that leave lots of crop residue on the surface. Another way to improve soil moisture availibilty ti to avoid soil compaction.  Click on the link above to learn more.