The study evaluated four management systems: conventional tillage, fall strip-till, no-till, and no-till with a cereal rye cover crop.

Starter fertilizer is typically considered to be the placement of a small rate of fertilizer, usually nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), near the seed at planting time. Some strip-tillers might also consider using this opportunity to apply higher rates of fertilizer that can supply most of the N and P needs for the corn crop.

Corn root damage caused by starter fertilizer is often attributed to the salt content present in fertilizers and the fertilizer salt index is often used to promote and sell safer in-furrow options.

Corn & Soy Solutions Architect Grant Wonderlich explains how John Deere's new ExactShot system works alongside ExactEmerge to improve fertilizer placement on each seed while planting.