However, much of conservation tillage residue systems and low tillage come from methods that have been accepted in the Midwest for years. The result of this under actual drought conditions over a long term is what we are pointing out in the Texas success stories. Farmers using this in drought areas find it offers new hope of being in the black during long term drought conditions. Costs are far less, yields are up, and most are sticking with it. Conservation tillage basically is a system of keeping residue on the soil service and reducing or eliminating plows and other tillage equipment.
Reports are the soil is like a sponge in worm areas and soaks up every bit of moisture.
Plant roots are able to follow the worm holes and go deeper down then with plowing. The worms thrive on surface residue which is retained on the surface. Planting is right down through the residue, and fertilizer is added with special syringe type machinery that places it below the residue without disturbing it. All of this may be of little help this crop year, but you might look into it and gear up for the next season. We have included some warnings over the past months here on insect increases during droughts, and finally have answers why grasshoppers literally explode in numbers during hot dry weather.