U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government
                    Here's how you know **Official websites use .gov**
                            
                            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                            
                            A **lock** (                            
                              A locked padlock                                                      
                            
                            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Menu Agricultural Research Service
						
                    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 close



Research
                Research Home
                            National Programs
                            Research Projects
                            Scientific Manuscripts
                            International Engagement
                            Scientific Software/Models
                            Databases and Datasets
                            Office of Scientific Quality Review
            Media
                News & Features
                            Multimedia
                            Briefing Room
                            Down on the Farm
                            Press Room
                            Science in Your Shopping Cart
                            Scientific Discoveries
                            Tellus
                            Under the Microscope
            About ARS
                About ARS Home
                            Staff Directory
                            Labs and Research Centers (Map)
                            Headquarter Offices
                            Organizational Chart
                            Employee Services (REE Employees Only)
                            Office of Outreach, Diversity, and Equal Opportunity
            Work With Us
                Work With Us Home
                            ARS Vacancies at USAJOBS
                            Careers at ARS Information
                            Scientific Collaborations
                            Extramural Agreements
                            1890 Faculty Research Sabbatical ProgramSearch small
                    Search
            
            ARS Home
                                About ARS
                                Contact Us




ARS Home News & Events News Articles Research News 2002





- ARS News & Events
- AgResearch Magazine
- Image Gallery
- News
- Search News & Events
- Pesticide Drift May Endanger Pollinators
- ARS Seeks a Fire Ant Fix
- Scientific Discoveries 2024
- ARS Featured Photos
- Down on the Farm
- Facebook Live Events
- Food and Nutrition Research Briefs
- News Archive
- Science in Your Shopping Cart
- Scientific Discoveries
- Social Media
- Under the Microscope
- AgResearch magazine
- ARS at Work
- ARS Memorial Lectures
- ARS Science Hall of Fame
- Citrus Disease (Huanglongbing)
- Contact Office of Communications
- Plant Hardiness Zone Map
- Mobile Apps
- Public Affairs Contacts
- Publications and Other Resources
- USDA Blog
- Videos

Archived Page
 This page has been archived and is being provided for reference purposes only. The page is no longer being updated, and therefore, links on the page may be invalid.
 Planting Aid Helps No-Till Farmers By David ElsteinOctober 16, 2002 The use of conservation tillage, sometimes called no-till farming, has gone up dramatically in the past few years in the planting of many crops. In fact, 80 percent of cotton farmed in Alabama is planted with conservation tillage systems, up from 19 percent only four years ago. No-till farming provides many economic and environmental benefits to the farmer. Since the soil is not touched from after harvest until the next growing season, there is less erosion. The previous year's crop residue left on the soil surface traps moisture and nutrients, cutting down on chemicals the farmer must use. Conservation tillage also requires less machinery and less labor than conventional tillage. One problem associated with no-till farming is that the previous year's crop residue can get caught up in planters, forcing the farmer to stop the machine and clear out the debris. But that is about to change. Agricultural Research Service soil scientist H. Allen Torbert of the Soil Dynamics Research Unit in Auburn, Ala., along with local cotton farmer Tom Ingram, has designed a device to put on the planter to keep the operation running smoothly. Dubbed the "forward residue mover," it is a triangular piece of metal around the blades of the planter that pushes crop residue out of the way, so it will not get caught in the blades. This device makes planting in a no-till environment easier and quicker. An added benefit of the forward residue mover is that it's free. While Torbert and Ingram are not selling the piece of equipment, it is easy enough for many farmers to make in their machine shops with supplies they may already have. More information about the residue mover, including photos, along with general information about no-till farming, is available online at: http://www.ag.auburn.edu/nsdl/sctcsa/Proceedings/2002/Torbert.pdf  ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency.


Return to top


Research
                            Media
                            About ARS
                            Work With Us


Connect with ARS Sign up


ARS Home
                            USDA.gov
                            Plain Writing
                            Policies & Links
                            Civil Rights Statements
                            FOIA
                            Accessibility Statement
                            Privacy Policy
                            Non-Discrimination Statement
                            Quality of Information
                            USA.gov
                            WhiteHouse.gov