Tillage practices in Oklahoma: Producers and farms spatial/regional characteristics

Abstract

Intensive tillage producers practice more tillage passes on their farms than reduced tillage producers which also reported more tillage passes than conservation tillage producers. About a quarter of producers reported they seeded wheat for grain only purpose, 13 percent for forage only purpose, and 64 percent for dual purpose. Two fifths of producers practice a crop rotation system on their farm while three fifth do not practice a crop rotation system. The survey confirms that crop rotations are not common in the state. Intensive tillage is likely that the lack of an economically competitive crop to rotate with winter wheat hinders the use of conservation tillage in the state. Alternative winter small grain crops such as oats, barley, and rye are not economically competitive. Summer crops such as corn, soybeans, and grain sorghum do not fit well in a rotation with winter wheat and do not consistently perform well in the climate, which is characterized by hot, dry, windy summers. Compared to intensive tillage producers, there is evidence that conservation tillage producers rotated their crops more frequently. This will break cycles of weed, disease, and insect pressure by creating a more suitable environment for conservation tillage methods. Conservation tillage producers operate on larger farm size than intensive tillage farmers.