Location is everything when it comes to maximizing the benefits of banded fertilizer application in strip-till. How deep is too deep and how far away from the seed is too far? A recent study by Kansas State University researchers examined the impact that distance of fertilizer application from the seed can have on early emergence of corn in strip-till systems. Soil fertility specialist Dorivar Ruiz Diaz will analyze the research results and share some best practices for strip-tillers to consider when banding fertilizer.

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For some farmers, their early transition to strip-till conjures up fond memories of higher yields or improved fertilizer placement, while for others, building those first berms serves more as reminder of how far they’ve come in their operation. Looking back on a decade of striptilling, Mike Shuter recalls both the pains and the gains encountered on 2,500 acres of strip-tilled corn at Shuter Sunset Farms in Frankton, Ind.

With the majority of his farm under center-pivot irrigation, Jason Wykoff relies on more than annual precipitation to successfully strip-till seed corn and soybeans on a 4,500-acre operation in New Carlisle, Ind. Limiting passes through the field and building soil structure are strip-till priorities for the Wykoffs, who have realized 20-30% savings in fuel, with an eye on slashing fuel costs by at least half.

 Roots are the somewhat forgotten side of the corn plant, but it’s where more than 95% of nutrients are absorbed, stored or transported. 

Charlie Hammer is on the eternal hunt for the perfect strip-till rig. The veteran strip-tiller from Beaver Dam, Wis., has cycled through several combinations of implements in recent years in the quest to find an ideal fit for the 2,100 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat he and his wife Nancy Kavazanjian grow. View

Tony Vyn has participated in research for more than 30 years comparing strip-tilled corn to other tillage systems on different soil types following corn, soybeans and winter wheat. The Purdue University cropping systems and tillage specialist will share how the expanded plantingtime “window” of strip-till and the relative yield performance of strip-till systems have grown as equipment has improved and farmer utilization of precise automatic guidance has grown. View