Part 3 · Strip-Till vs. Conventional2026 Local Research Results
Strip-Till vs. Conventional Tillage.
Side-by-side tillage blocks at Danforth. The main comparison uses equal 240-ft bands on each side of the tillage line, which keeps the conventional ground north of the house and around the trees out.
removed in cleanupfungicide/insecticide or strip-till areatrial-area boundary
Corn · Hoegemeyer 8014PCE · SE 40
Yield monitor
| Area | Yield, bu/ac | Moist. | Acres | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strip-till · 240 ft along the line | 234.2 | 18.9% | 2.5 | 1,080 |
| Conventional · 240 ft along the line | 238.6 | 18.7% | 2.8 | 1,201 |
+4.4bu/ac
conventional − strip-till, along the line · whole blocks 234.7 vs. 233.6
Part of the conventional block was logged as an 8014PCE/7700PCE mix (69C7/67C1); 8014PCE-only conventional ground averaged 238.1. The monitor gap moves with the buffer; the scale shows the two essentially even.
Difference with a 30 / 60 / 90 ft edge buffer: +2.4 / +4.4 / −0.1 bu/ac
Scale weights · weigh wagon
| Area | Yield, bu/ac | Moist. | Net lb | Bushels | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strip-till · 1,197 ft | 253.9 | 18.9%* | 31,000 | 563.6 | 2.22 |
| Conventional · 1,128 ft | 253.2 | 18.7%* | 30,920 | 562.2 | 2.22 |
Scale difference: −0.7 bu/ac (conventional · 1,128 ft − strip-till · 1,197 ft). Net weight ÷ 55 lb/bu ÷ acres. *Moisture wasn’t recorded at the scale; shown from the yield monitor on the same strips.
Soybeans · Hoegemeyer 2935E · N160
Yield monitor
| Area | Yield, bu/ac | Moist. | Acres | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strip-till · 240 ft along the line | 66.8 | 12.6% | 4.7 | 2,350 |
| Conventional · 240 ft along the line | 73.2 | 12.2% | 6.3 | 3,079 |
+6.4bu/ac
conventional − strip-till, along the line · whole blocks 67.3 vs. 73.5
Difference with a 30 / 60 / 90 ft edge buffer: +5.4 / +6.4 / +6.4 bu/ac
Scale weights · weigh wagon
| Area | Yield, bu/ac | Moist. | Net lb | Bushels | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strip-till · 120 ft | 75.7 | 12.6%* | 30,140 | 502.3 | 6.64 |
| Conventional · 120 ft | 80.9 | 12.2%* | 32,220 | 537.0 | 6.64 |
Scale difference: +5.2 bu/ac (conventional · 120 ft − strip-till · 120 ft). Net weight ÷ 60 lb/bu ÷ acres. *Moisture wasn’t recorded at the scale; shown from the yield monitor on the same strips; check passes not in totals — check pass, right on the split: 15,040 lb, 75.5 bu/ac; check pass east of the trial pass: 16,300 lb, 81.8 bu/ac.
Yield monitor cleaned as on the fungicide/insecticide trial pages. One season, one block per system.
Danforth Research Farm · 2026 Local Research Results
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